It's All in Your Head
by Evening Rain
Summary: On the way back from a mission, Naruto gets hit with an interrogation jutsu. But when the jutsu is accidentally intercepted by Sasuke, the two boys find themselves stuck mentally together, unwillingly sharing each other's thoughts, feelings, and secrets..
1. Traps and Friends

**It's All in Your Head**

**Summary:** On the way back from a mission, Naruto gets hit with an interrogation jutsu. But when the jutsu is accidentally intercepted by Sasuke, the two boys find themselves stuck mentally together, unwillingly sharing each other'sthoughts, feelings, and secrets...(sasunaru, rated Mjust to be safe for language and some suggestive situations)

**Disclaimer**: The characters of Naruto do not belong to me...sigh...

_Please read, review, and enjoy!_

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A colorful string of curses flowed below his breath as he twisted awkwardly back and forth, glaring at the floor below him. "…Stupid goddamn trap and this stupid goddamned mission…" He continued to mutter darkly as he attempted to swing his upside down body toward the ceiling, reaching nimble, calloused fingers towards his ankle and the rope that was wrapped around it securely.

The boy's body swung back and forth as he awkwardly attempted to defy gravity and free himself from the trap he had mindlessly walked into, his constant stream of curses never letting up. He let out a grunt as he twisted and lunged upwards again, the ankle that was supporting his entire body's weight being wrenched painfully.

Suddenly, his furious struggles came to an immediate halt and the boy froze, head titled to the side as he became award of approaching footsteps. "Shit," he whispered to himself before going completely silent, pulling out the kunai that he stored in his belt and continuing the mantra mentally in his head, '_shit shit shit shit…_'

Why now off all times! He had evaded his enemies all morning, and now, the second he fell into a trap because his mind had decided to wander, _now_ they decided to show up! '_This just isn't my lucky day'_ he thought morosely to himself as the footsteps drew nearer and his hand tightened its grip on the weapon.

A figure crept into view from the shadows, coming to a halt just below him. He craned his neck awkwardly to get a better look, mind racing at the possibilities of what it could be and body tensing to fight, regardless of the fact it was still trapped helplessly upside down. '_What is it?'_ his mind cried desperately, '_an animal? Ghost? Enemy shino-'_ his mental tirade was abruptly cut off as the figure looked up.

No, it was much worse than he'd thought. He glared heatedly at the smug face below him, grinding his teeth. '_**Anyone** but him'._

The figure just kept staring at him with that infuriating air of superiority that he had come to hate so much. "Hey, loser," he greeted coolly, as if the other boy had bumped into him while taking a midmorning stroll, not while dangling by one foot from the ceiling of a dark shack in the middle of nowhere.

Naruto was grinding his teeth so furiously now that it was surprising his mouth hadn't been reduced to gums. Ignoring the insult, he crossed his arms, attempting to look as dignified as one can while facing a foe upside down, and fixed his nemesis with a glare. '_Sasuke,'_ his mind bit out spitefully, '_smug little bastard.'_

"What are you doing here," he hissed angrily.

Sasuke smirked up at the other boy's scowling face. "Saving your ass," he replied matter of factly.

Naruto huffed, his face flushing from a combination of fury, indignation, and the blood that was rushing to it due to his awkward position. "My ass doesn't need saving!"

Sasuke allowed his eyes to look the other boy from head to foot as he dangled helplessly from the ceiling, swaying slightly back and forth in his agitation. He quirked an eyebrow, his lip twitching in amusement. "Coulda' fooled me." Without giving the stubborn boy a change to argue the pointless matter further (they could keep this up all day), he swiftly pulled a shurikun from his belt and threw it with practiced precision, slicing the rope above his teammate's ankle.

Naruto fell with an 'oomph' onto the floor in an ungraceful pile of limbs. His crystal blue eyes glared murderously into his companion's brown ones that were twinkling merrily. "A little warning next time would be nice," he grumbled, struggling to his feet and grumpily batting away the hand Sasuke had been offering.

"Maybe if you shut that big mouth of yours every once in awhile, you'd be a little more observant of what's going on around you, moron." Even as the jibe left his lips, Sasuke's eyes were busy scanning his partner's body for injuries.

Dusting himself off, Naruto stuck his tongue out immaturely in response and brushed handful of golden curls from his eyes, only to have them immediately fall back into place.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the other boy's antics, finishing his scan for injuries and turning his attention back to their surroundings. "You alright?" he asked out of habit, knowing full well that even if Naruto was mortally injured he'd probably deny it.

"Yes, _mother_," came the anticipated retort. "Now can we _please_ get out of here?"

Sasuke grunted, not completely satisfied with the reply but knowing they did not have enough time to sit around and argue. "I felt something approaching on my way in here," he warned as they headed cautiously towards the door of the shack. "I'm not sure how fast it was moving, but I think it would be best if we tried to avoid it."

Naruto nodded his agreement, and the two silently slipped from the hut, out into the dark forest surrounding it. After briefly scouting the area around them, Sasuke gestured northward with his chin and, taking to the trees, the two boys set off in unison, jumping swiftly and silently through the numerous branches.

After traveling for about an hour at this pace, Naruto finally slowed down and Sasuke skidded to a halt behind him. "I saw a cave near here earlier," Naruto spoke quietly, barely audible over the sound of a nearby stream. "The entrance is hidden pretty well by a fallen tree, and it should be a secure place to spend the night. With any luck we'll be out of here before lunch tomorrow."

The darkness of night hid Sasuke's face as a small smile of endearment graced his lips. Naruto was always concerned with food, and it wasn't uncommon for him to use meals instead of clocks to mark the passage of time. "Sounds good," he whispered back, just as quietly, "lead the way."

The pair of boys walked slowly down the stream bank for several minutes before Naruto finally got his bearings and headed into the woods. After awhile of what seemed to be aimless wandering, Sasuke spotted a fallen tree ahead of them, and after close inspection of its many thick branches, they found an opening that lead to the cave Naruto had promised.

The opening was very narrow at first, and the boys had to enter on their stomachs, pulling themselves along with their elbows and knees. However, after a few yards of this awkward shuffling, the tunnel opened and they dropped into a decently sized cave. Setting down his pack, Sasuke observed their surroundings with a nod of satisfaction.

"How'd you find this place?"

Naruto grunted as he too took of his pack and then dropped down next to it, stretching his tall, lanky frame across the cave's floor. His eyes drooped sleepily, and his always-smiling mouth curled into a drowsy smile, clearly exhausted. "I did a little scouting on our first day in. Figured it would be a good idea to know the area a little."

Sasuke nodded again, although he realized Naruto probably couldn't see him due to the lack of light. He yawned and stretched the kinks out of his back, spreading out his bed role and sitting to contemplate his dosing partner.

The younger boy before him had experienced a drastic growth spurt since they first met five years ago, and his once short, stocky figure was now very tall and slim, easily clearing six feet. While his figure promised to be quite impressive by the time he was finished growing, Naruto was currently in an awkward stage, his body having achieved its maximum height but failing to completely fill out yet. As a result, although it was obviously apparent that the muscles running threw his scrawny body were very well toned, Naruto always appeared as very awkward and gangly, all arms and legs. Upon first seeing him, most people would assume that the poor boy would be constantly tripping over himself, and after witnessing some of his friend's more clumsy moments, Sasuke was sometimes tempted to agree. However, he had also witnessed the calculated precision and grace that his teammate could sometimes muster, especially during difficult battles.

_'It's like he tries to hide what he's truly capable of'_, Sasuke thought to himself. _'He always acts like such as incompetent clown, but I've seen him pull of moves that would impress even Kakashi.'_ However, a little voice in the back of his head reminded Sasuke that he too was often prone to secrecy regarding his true self. Perhaps there was more to Naruto most people believed. But then again, Sasuke had figured that out long ago.

Sasuke pulled his eyes away from the other boy and began rummaging through his pack in search of his travel bars. Finally locating the neatly wrapped packages, he pulled out one for himself and tossed another to his now sleeping companion. The thrown bar promptly struck the softly snoring boy on the head, waking him up and earning Sasuke another dirty look before they both sat up and began to chew their makeshift dinner in companionable silence. While crunching away, Sasuke's thoughts turned to himself.

In comparison to Naruto, Sasuke was much more petite in build. While by no means short, his eyes were just level with Naruto's nose when the two stood beside each other, and his partner loved to point these few inches out whenever the opportunity presented itself. His frame was much more balanced than that of his friend's, slim but well toned and evenly filled out, and while some people assumed that the older boy had simply grown out of his awkward stage early, the truth was he had never really had one. Whatever gods controlled the growth spurts of adolescents had evidently smiled upon Sasuke and taken pity on him, and for that reason he escaped the awkwardness his partner always seemed to be experiencing.

Sasuke's eyes were a deep brown, almost appearing black at times, and were partly hidden by his straight, black hair. Although not nearly as unruly as Naruto's shock of golden curls, Sasuke's hair had still been permitted to grow, and ended just short of the boy's angled chin. His complexion also greatly contrasted Naruto's, as it seemed that no matter how much time he spent in the sun, Sasuke could never get his pale skin to darken and tan, a fact that secretly annoyed the chounin to no end

When "dinner" was finished, Naruto stretched his long arms above his head, his spine making audible pops as he rolled his neck and shoulders. Sasuke again bit back an endearing smile, shaking his head softly. "How's your ankle?" he asked casually while wiping stray crumbs from his bedroll.

Blue eyes regarded him cautiously. "My ankle?" Sasuke resisted the urge to snort at the innocent tone of his friend's voice. "Nothing's wrong with it, it's fine." A stubborn lower lip jutted out, daring Sasuke to challenge this claim.

The older boy sighed in exasperation, rolling his eyes and shrugging. "You had better wrap it before we set out tomorrow, we can't risk it slowing us down." He saw Naruto open his mouth to once again protest the injury, and smoothly cut him off. "I _saw_ you limping all the way here, so you might as well save it and just wrap the damn thing."

Once again the younger boy scowled, but quickly shrugged off his annoyance and replaced it with the usual cheerful smile, digging bandages out of his pack and obediently wrapping the wrenched joint. The action was truly pointless; although pain _was_ currently shooting up his leg every time he took a step, Kyubi would have the small inconvenience completely healed by tomorrow morning. However, the bandages would appease his friend's concern, and it was a small price to pay to keep Sasuke from worrying. With a rueful shake of his head, he suppressed a snicker while contemplating how protective Sasuke was over him, and how hard the other boy tried to hide it.

Peering through the murky atmosphere of the cave, Naruto caught his partner in mid-yawn. Perhaps he had let down his guard because he believed Naruto couldn't see, but if the "All-Powerful-Sasuke" had allowed a yawn to escape, he must be even more exhausted than Naruto was. Crystalline blue eyes narrowed. Ok, so maybe he was a little protective too…

"Right then," Naruto announced, sitting up and leaning against a cold, earthen wall, "I've got the first watch."

Stubborn brown eyes flashed over to meet his own, shooting him a glare. "No way, dobe, anyone can see you've exhausted yourself. Get some sleep."

A smile crept over Naruto's lips. Oh, how he loved a good argument before bed. "Don't call me that!" The response was automatic. "And I don't think so, Sasuke, I saw that yawn. You are just as tired as I am, and _I'm_ taking the first watch." He watched with satisfaction as Sasuke's eye twitched in irritation of being caught. _'Serves you right for underestimating my night vision' _he thought smugly. "Besides, I'm too nervous to sleep right now, this forest gives me the creeps," he forced a shudder for emphasis. "I bet I'll sleep much better after a few hours to settle my thoughts."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He didn't believe his friend's act one bit, especially that ridiculous shudder (it took a lot more than some stupid forest to creep Naruto out), but let it slide and surrendered. "Fine, I'll take the second shift, but you had _better_ wake me up this time! I don't care how 'tranquil' I look."

Naruto flashed an overly innocent smile. "Of _course_, whatever you say, Sasuke." He watched his teammate scowl and crawl into his bedroll, listening as his breathing slowed until it was obvious the older boy had fallen asleep.

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_Chapter one complete, what did you think? Updates coming soon!_


	2. Stranger in the Forest

It's All in Your Head

Chapter 2

Disclaimor: I don't own Naruto

_Well here it is, chapter 2. I hope you all enjoy it, and please keep reviewing. Also, to answer the questions I've recieved concerning ages, this story takes place a little in the future, after Sasuke returns...they have both grown, matured, and become chuunin...I'd say they are around 18_

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Sasuke rubbed his eyes and suppressed a yawn, waiting for dawn to break so they could resume their journey home. The sun would still be a couple of hours in rising, and now there was nothing to do but sit and wait.

He had relieved Naruto from his watch about an hour ago, and the loud blond was currently curled in a tight ball, sleeping soundly and obviously exhausted. A small smile tugged at Sasuke's lips as he watched the slumbering blond push a stray curl from his face, muttering darkly at the offending wisp of hair before scrunching up his eyes and growing still once more.

The two boys were returning from a mission to Lightening, having retrieved a scroll of some importance that had been in the hands of a gang of smugglers. After limping home from a disastrous Class A mission two weeks ago in Sand, which landed Sasuke in the hospital and confined Naruto to strict bed rest, Tsunade had purposefully assigned them an easy mission, probably ranking no higher than a Class C, and so far it had gone smoothly and peacefully with only mild combat against numerous but poorly trained foes. The last encounter had separated the two chounin, but they had finally regrouped, and with any luck they'd reach Kohona by nightfall tomorrow, the scroll securely in hand.

Naruto groaned and curled tighter into himself, eyes scrunching in distress. He shook his head from side to side. Sasuke watched him toss and turn, obviously in the grips of some nightmare. He debated for a few moments, unsure if he should wake the boy up or simply let him sleep and get some much-needed rest. However, when his friend cried out in distress, he began to reach for the other boy's shoulder, his mind made up.

The blonde tossed again, face scrunching further up. "Sasuke!" he cried, reaching out a hand blindly and desperately.

Sasuke froze, his hand still suspended in midair. _'He…He's dreaming about me?' _He stared, dumbfounded, at the blond before him.

"Don't leave!" The edge of desperation cut deep into Sasuke, his heart pulling at his friend's cries. "Can't …alone…"

Snapping out of his stupor, Sasuke grabbed Naruto's shoulder and shook it with a vengeance, determined to pull his friend from whatever vision…or memory (he winced at this thought)…that was tormenting him.

Naruto continued to struggle against him, crying out weakly. "No, no! Don't! I'm always alone!"

Feeling desperation and panic blossom full-force within him, Sasuke grabbed both of his friend's shoulders and wrenched him into a sitting position, shaking him forcefully. "Naruto, snap out of it! I'm right here!"

Dazed blue eyes finally sprang open, starring at the brunette with a look of clouded bewilderment. The blonde's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to gain his bearings. "Sasuke?" The voice was laced with fear, sleep, and confusion.

"I'm right here, Naruto," Sasuke reassured, his arm slipping behind the younger boy's shoulders on its own accord.

Naruto closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing even more. "Y-you're…?" He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of sleep. Finally his eyes snapped open, now fully awake. Seeing Sasuke's concerned face and feeling the arm around his shoulders, he blushed in embarrassment. "What happened?" This question was murmured lowly as he pulled away from the warmth of his friend, leaning instead against the cool, rocky earth surrounding them.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at his friend's reaction, then shrugged. "You were having some sort of nightmare," he paused awkwardly, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "It was…um…about me, I think." He fidgeted in a very un-Uchiha like manner, trying to look anywhere but his companion.

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose, praying to whatever gods that were listening to allow the earth to open up and swallow him whole. Opening his eyes and encountering the shadowy outline of his friend instead of the welcome sight of all-encompassing dirt, he sighed. _'Damn, no dice.'_

"Yeah well…er…" he stuttered, trying to explain. Why was this so hard, Sasuke was his best friend! Why was it so hard to talk about one little dream? However, as memories of the horrible, heart wrenching pain he had felt while dreaming returned, as well as the suffocating presence of loneliness, Naruto felt his eyes darken. "Sorry," he said softly, lying down again, "I guess this stupid mission is beginning to wear me out.

Brown eyes examined him, seeming to pierce his very soul, even without the Sharingan activated. After a few long moments, Sasuke shrugged and turned away, giving the boy his space. "Whatever, we are both tired. Go back to sleep, I want to start early tomorrow."

Naruto felt the weight lift from his chest, silently thanking his friend for not pushing the matter. Pasting his usual smile on his face, he stood up and stretched, emitting a loud yawn. "Well since we are both awake, and I don't think I'll be getting any more sleep tonight, why don't we just get going now?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blonde, a protest forming on his lips. Naruto had barely gotten an hour of sleep, he couldn't possibly be rested enough to travel. However, it was also obvious that the nightmare had greatly shaken the younger boy, and he was probably telling the truth when he said he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Therefore, it would probably be better to push ahead and reach the village as soon as possible, where they could both sleep comfortably in their own beds.

"Fine," he conceded, gathering his things and following as Naruto eagerly scurried out of the cave and into the predawn lit forest. Sasuke noted that the younger chounin's ankle did not seem to be bothering him as much as he would have suspected.

They took to the trees once more, traveling at a brisk speed, both eager to reach Kohona. Twice, they had to double back or switch directions to avoid unwanted confrontations with more of the smuggler thugs, but overall they were making good progress.

Several hours later, as the sun began to peak over the horizon, Sasuke called for a quick break, and the two boys sat down to rest on a relatively wide branch, well hidden among the leaves. Accepting the travel bar Naruto offered, Sasuke leaned back against the trunk of the tree and looked thoughtfully at the beautiful sunrise.

"We should reach Kohona before noon if we keep up this pace," Naruto noted, chewing at his bar eagerly. "I can't wait to get some ramen! These things are so…not-filling," he complained, eyeing the half eaten bar mournfully.

"Hn," Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's obsession with ramen, while secretly agreeing with him about the travel bars. Honestly, you'd think someone would have been able to create something a little more satisfying for a ninja-on-the-go after all these years.

After taking a few more minutes to "enjoy" their breakfast, the pair stood up, readjusted their packs, and set off again.

Sasuke found himself wondering over Naruto's quietness this morning. Granted, they were traveling, and trying to travel stealthily at that, but his companion usually kept up a steady stream of mindless chatter, regardless of the circumstances. The topic of the chatter was not important; Sasuke had learned to tune it out years ago; it was simply the fact that it existed that gave him comfort, reassuring him of the presence of another in his introverted world. The fact that the chatter had ceased today was bothering Sasuke greatly, and breaking his usual quiet nature, he strove to initiate a conversation.

"So how did you fall for that stupid trap yesterday? Even _you_ aren't that pathetic."

Just as he anticipated, Naruto rose to the bait, protesting the insult and shooting back a retort of his own. They fell into a comfortable exchange of banter, racing along as the sun rose higher and higher into the air.

They were an hour away from the village, picking up their speed a bit in the excitement of returning home, when Naruto sensed it. A very dark and powerful presence was following them, approaching at an alarming rate.

Glancing over and meeting deep brown eyes, Naruto confirmed that Sasuke had also detected the presence. Both boys put on an extra burst of speed, Naruto alternating his path so that he was now running right beside the other boy.

"What is that?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I don't want to meet it!"

"I don't think we are going to have much of a choice, not at the speed it's moving."

Brown met blue, and without speaking they nodded, understanding immediately what had to be done. Naruto shrugged off the scroll that he had slung securely over his shoulder, tossing it smoothly to his companion.

Sasuke caught it with ease, flicking his eyes to the blonde's tan face. Words were not necessary, but Sasuke found himself saying them anyway. "I'll be back soon."

Naruto snorted dryly. "Damn straight you will. Now get going." And with that, he tossed the older boy a dazzling smile before switching directions once again, doubling back to intercept their guest.

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he poured chakra into his legs, urging them to run faster. He hated the idea of sending Naruto to face _that, _whatever _that_ was, alone, but he didn't have much of a choice. He was the faster of the two, and their mission had to be completed successfully. If he hurried, he could reach the village within twenty minutes with the scroll and be back with reinforcements in less than that if Naruto managed to lure their enemy closer to Kohona.

Pouring even more chakra into his legs, he pushed himself harder, welcoming the familiar burning in his chest as he rushed onward. _'Just hang in there, Naruto.'_

Naruto sped carefully through the forest, remaining completely silent and masking his chakra to hide his position. It wasn't hard to locate his target; its presence was almost overwhelming.

The young chounin had entrusted the scroll to Sasuke, knowing his friend would be able to deliver is safely. As much as he hated to admit it, the Uchiha was much faster than he was, and the scroll would be safer with him than Naruto. The blonde, likewise, possessed more chakra and brute strength then his companion, and he was counting on these attributes to help in the battle he was currently rushing towards.

Ignoring the dread that was growing in his stomach as the dark presence drew nearer, the young demon container allowed a feral grin to spread across his lips. _'So how 'bout it Kyubi,' _he addressed his secret inhabitant, _'you up for a little fun?'_

A deep, slightly amused voice responded within his mind. _'Always, Kit.'_

The boy let his smile grow. Alright then, time to get busy.

The dark, suffocating energy was coming from a clearing now directly before him. Coming to a silent halt at the tree line, the young ninja peered through the foliage, spotting a dark figure standing in the middle.

Whoever, or whatever, it was, it sent chills down Naruto's spine. The figure appeared to be male, standing over six feet tall and having a muscular build. It was impossible to see anything beyond the original stature, for he was clothed from head to foot in a long black cape. Even his head was hidden beneath a hood, a black silken veil concealing the entire face excluding two piecing yellow eyes.

But it wasn't the man's mysterious appearance that made Naruto uneasy, it was his _feel_. Not only were there enormous amounts of chakra radiating from the figure, but another, darker power could be sensed as well.

_'Kyubi, what **is** that?' _

_'I don't know Kit, but I think you should keep your distance. I have a bad feeling about this…'_

At that moment, the glowing yellow eyes snapped up and focused directly on the orange clad ninja crouching in the trees, narrowing slightly.

Demon and host spoke in unison. '_Oh, shit.'_

A slightly perturbed fox mentally cleared his throat, speaking in an overly calm tone. _'Um, Kit?'_

_'Hai?'_

_'You might want to start running for our lives right about now…'_

Needless to say, Naruto didn't have to be asked twice.

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_Rubs hands gleefully I just love a good cliffhanger, bwahaha! What did you guys think?_


	3. Yellow Electricity and Hospital Beds

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Alas, I own nothing, not even Naruto...

_Chapter 3 is up, hope you all enjoy. Keep the reviews coming please!_

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"Tsunade!"

"Hey, you can't-" The guard's protest died on his lips as blood red eyes pierced him, making it very clear that if he got in the way he would be Uchiha-bait.

Not giving him another thought, Sasuke threw open the doors to The Fifth's office and yelled again, despite the fact that she sat only twenty feet away at her desk. "Tsunade, I need a recovery team, and I need it now!" He threw the rescued scroll carelessly onto her desk, his sharingan eyes never leaving her own.

The Hokage got up, the urgency in his voice obvious. "Sasuke-kun? What are you…where is Naruto?" She looked deep into his face, easily seeing past the calm, professional mask and seeing the distress he was trying to hide. Realization immediately dawned. She had seen this expression before, too many times to count, and needed no further explanation.

"Don't answer that," she muttered darkly, turning to the guard who stood timidly at the door, still a bit scared of Sasuke's wrath. "Assemble a recovery team immediately. I want every jounin not on a mission in my office ten minutes ago."

The guard bowed quickly and vanished, rushing to carry out her orders. Tsunade returned her attention to Sasuke, who was staring at the floor, lips in a tight, worried line. "How bad?" She asked quietly, quickly gathering medical supplies into a bag.

"Bad."

"Better fetch Sakura too then."

The Uchiha gave a terse nod, disappearing to locate his old teammate and Tsunade's talented apprentice.

Having carried out her duties as leader efficiently, and now being alone for several minutes, Tsunade allowed herself to sigh, raising her fingers to rub throbbing temples. This was supposed to be an easy mission, a break for two of Kohona's most promising ninja. What could possibly have gone wrong?

Allowing a derisive snort escape, the Hokage shook her head. Trouble followed those two wherever they went. It seemed that they were _always_ carrying each other back from missions more dead than alive, and although it _usually_ wasn't their fault, The Fifth found herself losing her patience.

'_You had better be alright, brat,' _she thought angrily to her favorite loud mouth ninja.

* * *

His breath was coming out in short gasps as he rushed towards Kohona, having given Sasuke enough of a head start with the scroll. Behind him, explosions sounded as the dark figure behind him triggered the traps Naruto had desperately set while running, but they did little good. The man seemed to be unstoppable, completely unfazed by any of Naruto's attacks. 

"Damn it," he ground out, skidding to a halt to face the attacker who had caught up to him. Hands forming a familiar sign, he focused his chakra and cried out, "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A dozen shadow clones and the original Naruto fanned out, taking to the shelter of the trees. Launching an attack on the figure, the young chounin was dismayed as the few hits he managed to land seemed to have no effect on the man. He felt the clones' chakra return to him steadily as they were destroyed one by one until he was alone once more.

Wiping a small trail of blood from the corner of his mouth and grimacing slightly as bruised ribs protested his quick movements, Naruto glared back at his opponent. He was no fool; he knew this was not a fight he could hope to win alone. The man before him was simply too fast, and too strong. All he could do was slow him down and wait for Sasuke to get back with reinforcements.

However, waiting was proving to be a difficult task, and he found himself dodging again as a wave of shuriken flew towards him, only to receive a vicious kick to the stomach, which sent him flying backward.

Spinning in mid air, he managed to throw his own barrage of kunai's and landed on his feet, but his attack was easily dodged.

Cursing again, the blonde focused chakra into his feet, spun, and jumped into a nearby tree, running up the trunk and once again taking off towards the village at top speed. Behind him, the air hummed with weapons thrown with deadly accuracy, and in a matter of minutes his clothes were reduced to rags, small cuts littering his arms, legs, and face. If he didn't reach help soon, he would be dead.

Eyes narrowing in determination, Naruto focused again, collecting a mixture of his Kyubi's chakra into his palm, once again turning to face his opponent. "Rasengan!" he yelled, a ball of blue energy solidifying in his hand, its outer edges crackling with orange sparks.

The man was on him instantly, and he found himself instinctively falling back to a rhythm learned during spars with Sasuke. Dodge, kick, block, punch. Keep looking for an opening.

It was when his mysterious attack's fist found purchase in Naruto's chest that his opening appeared. Crying out as felt ribs break under the powerful punch, he desperately smashed the hand containing Rasengan into this attacker's stomach with all his might, sending the other man flying backwards through the air, crashing through tree trunks as he went.

Leaning heavily against a tree, the blonde gasped for breath, cradling his abused chest with his arms as he stumbled again towards the village.

However, he didn't get far before something smashed into his shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

Gritting his teeth, Kyubi's host spat blood, reaching to pull a kunai from his back, but receiving a kick to the face instead. Groaning, he rolled, curling himself into a ball to protect himself.

His attacker laughed cruelly, made several signs Naruto didn't recognize, and suddenly the boy found himself surrounded by yellow energy. Instantly his entire body erupted in searing pain, white flames of agony spreading through his veins. Unable to think, the blonde threw his head back, a scream wrenching from his throat.

Laughing even harder, the man raised his hands higher, sneering at the writhing mass below him. "Suffer," his hissed, the yellow light growing more intense.

Naruto's vision began to go dark at the edges. He was briefly aware that he was screaming himself hoarse, but didn't care; he just wanted it to stop. _'Make it stop,'_ his mind sobbed desperately, '_God, just make it STOP'._

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the pain stopped, disappearing but still leaving his nerves screaming from the pain it had caused. Peering through the inky darkness as his vision failed, Naruto spotted a bloody hand pinned to a tree with a kunai, a rush of movement, and two blood-red eyes looking down at him in panic. "Naruto! Hang on," a rough voice murmured, a warm hand cupping his cheek gently, "just hang on…"

Unable to bare it any longer, an exhausted Naruto surrendered to the blissful darkness, his eyes rolling upwards into his head as he passed out in a pair of strong arms.

Sasuke cringed as he reached out and grabbed Naruto's shoulder, a current of yellow electricity shooting through his arm and leaving every nerve in his body tingling with pain in its path. Shrugging this discomfort aside, he pulled his fallen comrade to his chest, clinging to the younger boy as a wave of fierce protection surged through his veins. To his left, the squad of jounin had sped off through the forest in pursuit of the mysterious man, who had taken flight after Sasuke had stopped his attack with a carefully aimed kunai.

_'Bastard!'_ Sasuke swore at the man, livid. He was tempted to track the man down himself and kill him with his bare hands, but he couldn't bring himself to leave his friend's side. He pulled Naruto even closer, a mixture fury and concern etched in every line of his face

In the back of his mind, he was aware of Sakura rushing to sit beside him, trying to pry his steel grip from the orange bundle he clung to. "Sasuke," she said gently but firmly, "You need to let go. I have to see him!"

Nodding, Sasuke reluctantly released his friend, stretching him gently on the ground before Sakura. As the pink haired girl came across the bruised mass of his broken chest, tears sprung to her eyes. "Oh Naruto," she whispered, carefully wiping a golden curl from his face, "what have they done to you?"

Without another word, she lifted her hands above his chest, bathing the bruises in the pale green light of here healing chakra.

Soon Tsunade and Kakashi rejoined the trio, having abandoned the chase in favor of returning to Naruto.

Without saying a word, Sasuke reached down, scooped up his friend's limp body, and turned to his teacher. Kakashi gave a small nod of understanding and took off through the woods towards Kohona, taking point. Tsunade and Sakura flanked Sasuke and his precious burden, and together the small entourage sped off to the hospital.

* * *

Tsunade finally threw her hands up in surrender, turning back towards the bed. She had thrown everyone out of the examination room so that she could check over her patient in peace, and for the most part she had been successful in removing distractions. All parties had left obediently, too afraid of the Fifth's legendary temper to argue. 

All accept one that was.

One obstinate brunette chounin still remained defiantly at the side of his comrade, flatly refusing to budge, and matching Tsunade's fury with his own famous Uchiha glare.

After ten minutes of a heated staring contest, the exasperated Hokage had finally surrendered, knowing from experience that although not impossible, removing Sasuke from Naruto's side would be no easy task, and would require time she could not afford to waste right now.

"Stay out of my way," she threatened darkly, gold eyes piercing the dark ones across from her that flashed with victory. The young Uchiha gave one solemn nod of acknowledgement, stepping back to giver her room but not straying more that arms length from the bed.

Not sparing another moment on the lurking, protective shadow, Tsunade turned her full attention on the unconscious blonde before her. His skin was clammy and pale, his breath strained. The tall, muscled chest was littered with bruises and cuts, and a black seal blazed furiously across his stomach, proving that Kyubi was hard at work within his host.

Tsunade took a deep breath and laid two fingers on the center of the spiraled seal, closing her eyes in concentration as green, healing light gathered at the tips of her outstretched fingers. "Kyubi," she called in a hard, commanding tone, earning a raised eyebrow from the young man across from her.

The fox did not answer the Hokage's summons, though Sasuke wondered if it was even possible for such a thing to occur. Although Naruto didn't speak of his inhabitant often, Sasuke had figured out what dwelled within his friend years ago. It was sort of obvious after they fought at the Valley of the End, and the information he learned during his time spent with Orochimaru had only confirmed his suspicions.

But to speak to the demon inhabiting someone? Could you even do that? He wondered if Naruto ever spoke to the fox, a possibility that had never even occurred to him, as it seemed absolutely absurd. He had always just assumed that Naruto was Naruto, and Kyubi was Kyubi, two separate entities that shared the same body but never interacted beyond battle. After all, the fox was evil…wasn't he?

Tsunade, however, was very determined and persistant. "Kyubi!" she shouted for the fourth time. "Damn, useless old fox, I _know_ you can hear me. Answer me, damn it!" She accentuated this order with a harsh jab to the seal with glowing fingers, causing Naruto to grunt and Sasuke to tense in the helpless boy's defense.

However, just as Sasuke was about to voice his protest of the Fifth's manhandling, the blonde's eyes shot open and his head snapped towards the woman leaning over him. Sasuke looked hopefully to the pools of blue he knew so well, but was startled to find them glowing a bight red instead, the pupil displaying an almost feline slit.

Steely orbs glared venomously at the Hokage, narrowing as they brought her into focus. "Damn, you meddling old hag," the voice was deeper and strong; clearly Naruto's but also carrying the underlying tone of something larger, older, and much more powerful. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

The voice raised goose bumps on the back of Sasuke's neck. He had heard that voice once before…

Tsunade brushed the threatening insults aside, determined to get what she needed from the demon within her patient. "Nobody knows what's wrong with him, and I can't get him to wake up. You were the only one there."

"As usual," came the cruel, bitter reply.

Golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "We don't have time for this! I need to know what happened to properly treat him, and if I don't he could die. And if he dies, you die."

"Don't try to threaten me you damn mortal!" The voice roared furiously to the Fifth, matching her glare for glare. "I know full well the consequences of his death, and thanks to me it wont be approaching for quite some time."

A mixture of exasperation and relief sprang to Tsunade's face and she let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding. "He is alright then?"

"Fool, do you think I'd waste time on you if I didn't have things under control?" the voice snarled, clearly losing patience. "However, the brat is still a mess, broken bones, fried nerves...It's going to take me forever to fix all this." If Sasuke hadn't know that that voice belonged to a demon who had lived for thousands of years, he would have sworn it was whining.

Tsunade straightened up to her full height, still attempting to get information out of the grumbling and obstinate demon before her. "Then when will he wake up?"

Orange eyes glared angrily, fed up with questions and eager to get back to his host. "When he is good and ready. His system has undergone an enormous shock, and even I can't be sure what the full extent of the damage is." The demon turned his glowing eyes to Sasuke, and suddenly a feral grin spread out across the whiskered face. "But there are _defiantly_ going to be some interesting side effects."

Throwing his head back, Kyubi let out a bark of laughter, chortling at his own private joke. Finally he turned his head back to Tsunade, eyes still glittering in amusement. "Yellow electricity." He offered simply, amusement growing as he saw Tsunade's eyes widen in understanding.

Without another word, the orange eyes faded back to blue, which promptly rolled backwards, and Naruto's head once again fell limp onto the pillow.

Sasuke squirmed a bit at the look Tsunade was shooting him, still trying to comprehend the bizarre conversation he had just witnessed. The hokage was looking at him with an odd mixture of emotions: surprise, disbelief, pity, and…yes, he was sure there was a hint of amusement.

Clearing her throat, the Fifth excused herself, rushing off to look something up in one of the many old dusty volumes she had in her office.

The only one remaining in the room, Sasuke sat in the uncomfortable chair, staring at the boy before him. The hospital bed made Naruto seem so small and weak, not at all how he was supposed to be. The room was silent except for the soft beeps of several machines monitoring his friend and Naruto's soft breathing.

Looking out the window, Sasuke felt the familiar guilt creep into his mind again. He shouldn't have left Naruto alone in that forest. He had _known_ that it was too dangerous. He should have stayed behind and let Naruto go ahead with the scroll. Then maybe the other boy wouldn't have been here right now. Then maybe Naruto wouldn't have been hurt. Then maybe his friend's screams wouldn't haunt his dreams for the rest of his life…

Sasuke shuddered as he heard those horrible screams echo through his head once again. Screams of pain, of desperation. He had been completely helpless, too far away to reach his friend but close enough to hear his heart wrenching agony carry through the forest.

He slammed his fist on the table near Naruto's bed, upsetting a class of water. "I should have _done_ something, damn it!"

He once again looked to the bed, but his friend still laid unconscious, deathly pale against the sheets. Sasuke ground his teeth and dropped sullenly into a bedside chair once more.

There was a moment of silence. Then, _'…Sasuke?'_

The dozing head shot up, brown eyes peering eagerly at blonde's face, but were surprised to find it completely motionless. "Naruto?" He looked around in confusion, sure he had heard the other boy's voice.

The body before him stirred and let out a groan._ 'So dark…where…?'_

The words had been faint, no louder than a whisper, but he was almost positive he had heard them. Sasuke's eye twitched as he stared at the other boy's unmoving mouth. "Naruto?"This time there was no response. The body before him lay still, and not a sound could be heard except for the faint beeping of the heart monitor.

Sasuke sat down, taking a deep breath and running a shaking hand through locks of black hair. '_That's it, I've finally lost it,'_ he thought shakily to himself. _'You're hearing voices in your head Sasuke, not a good sign.' _Sighing, he let his head fall to rest on the edge of Naruto's bed, his eyes closing heavily. It had been a very long day….

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_Aw, Kyubi talks tough but you know he loves Naruto...poor Sasuke, is he losing his mind? And what will become of our number one, hyperactive ninja? Chapter 4 is coming soon..._


	4. An Unpleasant Surprise

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** they'r still not mine...

_Alright, the chapter you've all been waiting for...I had a lot of fun writing this one, so I hope you enjoy! _

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Sasuke's head shot up moments later, but he found himself squinting against the newfound sunlight laying siege to the room. Ok, so maybe it was a few _hours_ later. Groaning and stretching the kinks out of his neck, Sasuke searched for the noise that had awakened him.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he encountered a pair of shocking blue eyes watching him intently. "Naruto!" he exclaimed, voice filled with relief, "You're awake!"

"Hai, I've been sitting here watching your lazy ass nap for almost an hour now, teme." The younger boy smiled cheekily at him. Seeing brown eyes narrow and a mouth open in protest, he let out a laugh and cut his teammate off. "Forget it, Sasuke, you looked like you needed sleep." His eyes sparked with mirth. "Have you been here all night?" He already knew the answer, knew that he would have done the same had their positions been reversed, but still couldn't resist teasing the older boy who for some reason seemed incapable of admitting he cared for someone besides himself.

Brown eyes narrowed defensively. "I only dropped by for a minute. I must have fallen asleep."

Naruto smirked to himself. _'He's such a liar!'_

"I am _not_! As if I'd waste my time hanging around some injured weakling like you, I-" Sasuke cut his tirade short, noticing the look of disbelief and shock on his friend's face. "What's wrong?"

"Did…did you just…?" Naruto sputtered, staring at him with wide, dumbstruck eyes, his face looking like someone had just punched him in the gut.

"Spit it out, baka."

"I…you…" Naruto trailed off, clearly at a loss of words.

A dark, graceful eyebrow twitched with impatience and annoyance. Perhaps the dobe was sporting some head trauma Tsunade had overlooked?

"My head is fine!" Naruto yelled in exasperation, then gasped and stared wide-eyed at Sasuke, his hands flying to cover his mouth.

Sasuke froze, slowly turned his head to meet the pair of horrified blue eyes, and stared, dark eyes widening in disbelief. His jaw had dropped half an inch and now hung open in shock, an image Naruto would have found highly amusing had he himself not also been blindsided with surprise.

Sasuke was the first to break the stunned silence. "…the _hell?_!"

Naruto was on the brink of hyperventilating, and his face and taken on a shade of green, making it look like he was going to be sick. "How…what…" the poor blonde was still helplessly stumbling over his words.

The blonde scrunched his eyes closed. '_This can't be happening, this cannot be happening!_'

"It's happening, baka."

"Get out of my head!" Naruto squeaked, grabbing his hair with his hands as if to shield his thoughts from the boy next to him. Desperation and distress were rolling off the young chounin like waves, slamming into Sasuke with such force that he actually took a step back.

"Naruto, calm down-" Sasuke tried, but was cut off by and ear shattering, almost inhuman screech.

"GRANNY TSUNADE!"

* * *

Tsunade sipped a steaming cup of tea serenely at her desk, counting down the seconds in her head. Three. Two. One… 

"GRANNY TSUNADE!" The bloodcurdling screech floated in through the open window, right on schedule. The Fifth grinned into her tea, looking down at the large, leather bound book that lay opened before her.

'_Impressive,_' she mused quietly to herself, '_I half-expected to hear Uchiha shrieking right along with him…' _

* * *

"What do you _mean_ you can't fix it!" Tsunade gave the whiskered boy before her a pitying glance. Naruto was sitting quietly on his hospital bed, breath coming out in short, panicked puffs of air and left eye twitching in distress. Putting it simply, the boy was a mess, and was not taking the news as well as she had hoped. 

"I _mean_ I can't fix it, twerp," the usual annoyance heard in her retort seemed a bit softer than usual as she felt sympathy for the young shinobi before her. "Not yet at least. As I already told you, the rescue team interrupted the jutsu. And since your attacker managed to escape, we have no way of knowing exactly what it was. From what I can guess, it sounds like an advanced interrogation jutsu."

The frown Sasuke had been wearing since her arrival deepened, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Interrogation jutsu?"

Tsunade turned her attention to Kohona's prodigy and nodded shortly. "Yes, the basic principle is quite simple. You blast your target with as much pain as possible, lowering their resistance and confusing them. After their prey is weakened, whoever created the jutsu simply has to collect the information he or she wants and then undo their jutsu." She glanced at Naruto, who still staring at her with an expression that suggested he was close to tears.

Sighing, Tsunade continued her explanation. "It seems that this particular interrogation jutsu required the creator to come into contact with their target. They just had to reach out and take the information, literally, and then perform whatever seals required to undo the jutsu. However, since you interrupted them, Sasuke, things didn't go according to plan."

"So, since I was the first one to touch him, I got access to his mind instead," Sasuke stated dryly, rubbing his arm unconsciously at the memory of the yellow shocks that had raced up it when he found Naruto.

"Correct," the Fifth nodded.

A small voice spoke softly and dismally from the bed, its normally loud owner having remained unusually quite up until then. "Then why can I hear his thoughts, too?"

Tsunade regarded him for a moment, having not considered this question yet. After a long pause she began to muse out loud. "Well, I suppose that when the jutsu is being performed normally, the minds of the target and creator are connected completely, not just one way. In theory, the connection should only last seconds, just long enough to get the required information, and with the target being too shaken up with pain, the chance of them infiltrating their enemy's mind in that short window of time would be slim."

The hokage sighed and rubbed her temples warily. "Unfortunately, until I can figure out how to undo the jutsu, it looks like you guys are stuck connected to one another."

She peered curiously at the two young men before her, surprised that this announcement, however anticipated it had been, did not stir a screaming reaction. The Uchiha, as expected, simply leaned forward in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes closed in frustration.

Naruto on the other hand, was now sitting completely frozen on his bed, staring at Tsunade with a mixture of horror and nausea. The Fifth held the gaze for a moment, resisting the urge to run over and hug the distraught boy. "Sasuke," she spoke softly, never taking her eyes from the boy before her, "give us a minute?"

The Uchiha nodded, silently getting up and leaving the room.

When the door was firmly latched and the room was empty except for the two quiet inhabitants facing each outer, Tsunade spoke hesitantly. "Naruto…?"

And suddenly the explosion she had been waiting for triggered.

"_WHAT?_" Naruto was on his feet, ignoring the searing pain the movement was causing. "What the hell am I going to do! He'll know everything! _Everything_!" The blonde paced furiously back and forth, not even pausing to hear the answers to his questions. Not that it mattered; Tsunade didn't have any for him.

"What if he finds out about Kyubi?"

"He already knows about Kyubi," the hokage patiently reminded him.

But Naruto wasn't listening. He had frozen in his tracks, a look of horror plastered on his face. "What if he can _hear_ Kyubi!" He turned to Tsunade, eyes flashing in panic, "I mean, if I can hear him, then it stands to reason that Sasuke will be able to too, right?" He sat down on the edge of his bed, holding his head in his hands. "Shit, he is gonna think I'm a schizophrenic _lunatic_!"

Tsunade blinked as the words spilling from Naruto's mouth continued to grow in length and complexity. Who knew the kid's vocabulary expanded during panic attacks?

Sighing, the Fifth stood up and put a hand on her favorite chounin's shoulder. Naruto was like a little brother to her, and she hated seeing him like this. "Listen Naruto," she began softy, squeezing him reassuringly, "I'm sure this will all work out. Don't worry about Kyubi, Sasuke has his own problems to worry about, I'm sure yours aren't going to faze him."

She had to resist a snort at her own comforting words. '_Yeah right'_ a little voice in the back of her mind drawled sarcastically. Uchiha was _definitely_ in for a few surprises.

"What if he…Tsunade, he is going to _hate_ me!"

"I highly doubt that. He is your best friend Naruto, why don't you try trusting him?"

Heaving a pathetic sigh, Naruto lay back against his pillows, throwing an arm over his eyes to hide from the world. "I _do_ trust him," he muttered darkly, "I just don't trust myself…"

Tsunade stood to leave, patting the boy sympathetically on the shoulder before heading towards the door.

Before leaving she turned to look over her shoulder at the unmoving figure on the bed. "I think this experience is going to be good for you. For _both_ of you."

As she headed down the hall, Tsunade bit back a smile, humming softly to herself. Yes this was going to be interesting. '_What **are** you going to do Uzumaki, when someone gets their fingers underneath that mask of yours?'_

* * *

Sasuke sat outside the room, trying to sort out his thoughts and ignore the wave of Naruto's that were assaulting him, despite the closed door. Desperately trying not to eavesdrop, he closed his eyes, only catching snatches of his friend's discussion with the hokage. 

'_Kyubi…what if…hates me…don't trust myself…_'

Rubbing his eyes, Sasuke stood up and began pacing. Naruto had defiantly not taken the news of their mental connection well, but it wasn't like he was thrilled either! Sasuke had spent his whole life trying to close himself off from the world, keeping every aspect of his life as private as possible. Now he was going to have someone poking around in his mind? Great, that was just fantastic…

And of all people, it was the dobe! But even as this thought crossed his mind, Sasuke knew that the disdain was false. True, the young Uchiha had spent his entire life shutting out everyone around him, and true, Naruto annoyed the hell out of him, but truth be told, out of everyone in the village, Naruto was the only person Sasuke could stand being around for more than ten minutes.

There was just something about the dobe. They had been bitter rivals from the start, but underneath all the insults and bickering, all the attempts to outshine one another, in training and battles, there had been something, a deep connection that neither of them really understood or tried to analyze. Eventually, this connection had been acknowledged, albeit with confusion, and allowed to grow into something more.

Now the bond between the two boys was more than rivalry. It was even bigger than camaraderie. While he had tried hard to deny it for a very long time, Sasuke had finally admitted the truth to himself. Naruto was his best, if not his only, friend. And lately…

'_Well, I guess if I have to share my thoughts with someone, I'm glad it's you,'_ he thought with a small smile.

'…_Me too…'_ Sasuke almost jumped out of his seat as a voice completely foreign to his own echoed through his head.

Fighting the urge to clutch his racing heart, the Uchiha bit back a growl of annoyance. "Damn it Naruto, a little warning next time!"

'_Sorry, that soliloquy was just so touching._' Sasuke ground his teeth, hands clenching into fists. He hadn't known it was even possible for someone to snicker mentally…

'_Oh, and you don't have to speak out loud teme, I can hear you loud and clear, and people are going to start staring at you if you keep talking to yourself.'_

"Shut up, baka."

Sasuke looked up and swore as he noticed the confused look a nurse shot him as she walked past.

'_Told you.'_ The smugness was practically dripping off the blonde's words…er…thoughts. Sasuke shook his head; it didn't matter. He was going to kill him either way.

Just as he was about to barge in and wring the other boy's neck, Naruto's thoughts spoke again, all sense of joking gone. '_Teme, we need to talk._'

Sasuke opened the door and met a pair of serious azure eyes. "I know," he spoke softly, coming to sit beside the bed.

Both boys sat quietly for several moments, each fiddling uncomfortable and avoiding the other's eyes. Finally Naruto cleared his throat and summed up their condition with his usual tactfulness, "We are so screwed."

Sasuke suppressed a snort of amusement, admiring Naruto's ability to state the obvious in such a delicate fashion. "You think?" he shot back, allowing sarcasm to ooze through every word.

Sighing, his friend sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and meeting Sasuke's brooding eyes unflinchingly. "What the hell are we going to do?"

The older boy held the gaze for a moment then slouched lower in his chair, allowing his usually tense body to relax, something he only permitted himself to do around Naruto. "What _can_ we do? You heard Tsunade, we are stuck until she figures out how to undo the jutsu. And since she doesn't even know what the original seals were, that's not going to happen anytime soon."

Both boys jumped, reaching for weapons as a figure entered the room unannounced expect for a swirl of leaves and wind. Recognizing the chakra before the face was even visible, Sasuke relaxed and put his kunai back in his belt. "Kakashi," he acknowledged his mentor in greeting.

"Hello boys," the jounin surveyed his to former students, eyes glinting with amusement. "Heard about your predicament, how…unfortunate."

'_Yeah I can tell its just **tearing** him apart._' This time, Sasuke couldn't hold it in. His eye slightly twitching, he let out a snort of laughter at the unexpected wave of sarcasm coming from his partner.

'_I think I'm starting to rub off on you…_'

'_And oh, how I shudder at the very thought_,' came the careless retort.

Sasuke glared at the smug smile across from him. So _that's_ how it was going to be. Who know mental sparring could be just as fun as verbal?

Kakashi looked from one boy to another, as if watching a tennis match. Rubbing the back of his head, he pulled out a volume of "Icha, Icha Paradise", turning to the window to exit. "Well, it looks like I'm missing something, so I'm just going to go. Behave, and try not to kill each other." Stretching one leg lazily out the window, he stepped out onto the roof before turning back to his former pupils. "Oh, by the way, Tsunade says she doesn't want Naruto to be alone for awhile, so he is staying with you this week, Sasuke. Have fun."

And with that Kakashi was gone, leaving to stunned boys staring at each other.

"What!"

'_No way in hell!_'

The responses were simultaneous, and although one was verbal and the other mental, they were both clearly heard by the other. Glaring grumpily at one another, the both boys let out a sigh. It was going to be a long week…

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_Chapter 4 complete, phew. I hope you guys had fun reading it! Please keep the reviews coming, they're one of my favorite parts about writing this story!_


	5. Roommates

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything!

_Alright, so for the past few chapters, I have been trying to slowly ease into the sasunaru relationship while still keeping them both in character, but I was having trouble making anything more than fluff flow right. I finally decided that like everything else they do, Konoha's two favorite ninja would probably haphazardly stumble into their relationship, resulting in utter choas. This is my sheepish explanation for the next few chapters...enjoy!_

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"Baka, for the one hundredth time, don't touch my stuff!" Sasuke snatched a scroll away from his new, very nosy roommate.

The blonde jumped to his feet, wincing as his body protested violently, still in pain from the attack (even kyuubi was having trouble healing this one). "Well I can't just sit here doing nothing! I don't want to have you in my head for the rest of my life, having to deal with you on the _outside_ is hard enough!"

"Hn," Sasuke replied disinterestedly. He was growing fed up with Naruto. For the past few days the blonde had been irritable and antsy beyond belief, completely frustrated with his lack of mental privacy and aching for a fight. Still mindful of Naruto's physical condition, Sasuke had tried to refrain from a fight, physical or mental, but enough was enough. He was out of patience, and a fight was sounding pretty appealing right now.

His mind made up, the Uchiha searched for the something that would send his friend over the edge, a retort forming with practiced ease. "Like I'd want to peak inside that dusty head of yours anyway. I doubt you even have a brain for me to explore."

A small smile formed on the brunette's lips as he not only saw, but felt his friend's pride rush forward, his face growing red and his voice laced with anger. "You wanna try me teme, or are you all talk and no action?"

Feeling very satisfied that his bait had been taken, Sasuke smirked before snapping his eyes closed, launching his mind at Naruto's. He hadn't even been sure it work, but when it did, Sasuke noted that it was an odd feeling, and he wondered briefly if this was what Ino felt during her jutsu. However, strange or not, this challenge was just like any other battle between the two rivals, and Sasuke was determined to succeed in breaking the blonde's defenses and savoring the victory of dominance.

Naruto let out a startled gasp as he felt his mind under siege, a peculiar sensation overtaking him as something that felt purely…Sasuke-ish…attempted to invade his thoughts and memories. He hadn't expected the brunette to actually take him up on his challenge! Shaking off the surprise, he forced himself to concentrate on what the other boy was going after.

Red eyes seemed to be peeking eagerly around, focusing their attention at a certain corner hidden in darkness. The shadows began to retreat, and Naruto felt a childhood memory of being shunned being dragged unwillingly to his consciousness. '_No!'_ he thought angrily, scrunching his eyes and balling his hands into fists. '_Get **out**!'_

Sasuke recoiled, feeling as if his hand had just been smacked with a ruler. He had been winning, a memory of a young Naruto coming into focus, when suddenly it had been like a door had been slammed in his face, completely shielding the image from his curious prying and followed closely by a very smug feeling from a victorious Naruto.

His spark of challenge rekindled, Sasuke felt his smile widen. So it was a battle, was it? '_Let's just see who wins, huh dobe?"_ He paused a moment, considering what to attack next, something that would _really_ piss the blonde off. Suddenly an idea formed, and Sasuke's grin became positively evil. _'I know' _he purred slyly to his prey. '_Who does Naruto like?'_

This time panic flared through the younger boy, eyes widening in horror. '_Shit_!' Naruto silently swore to himself. If Sasuke got through, if he found out…

The red eyes were peering around again, dragging an image forward. '_No!' _Naruto cried desperately, once again slamming a mental door in Sasuke's face, but the brunette was insistent. Slowly the door was being forced open, the image coming into focus.

Pale skin, dark hair…'_Who could it be,'_ Sasuke teased mercilessly, leaning in eagerly to catch a glimpse of the mystery crush. '_Hinata, perhaps_?'

But just as the figure was about to solidify, he felt a wave of absolute terror and desperation wash over him. Naruto's furious voice boomed through his head. '_I said **NO,** damnit!_' And suddenly he was overtaken by an onslaught of enraged power, the door before him slamming shut and spikes bursting from its wood, throwing him forcefully back into his own mind.

Opening his eyes, Sasuke stared in shock at the boy before him. Naruto was breathing hard, knuckles turning white from grabbing his chair so hard. Peering at the younger boy's face, Sasuke was started to see tears threatening to spill from shining blue eyes.

Guilt began to coil in the brunette's gut. Maybe he had gone a little too far…

"Naruto…?" he ventured, voice laced with concern. "I-"

But he was cut off as the blonde rose from his seat, shaking with anger and…something else that Sasuke couldn't place. The voice carried venom and steel, words spoken dangerously low. "Screw you, Uchiha."

And with that, Naruto stormed off, leaving a dumbfounded Sasuke behind him.

* * *

Sasuke sighed as he pulled back the covers and climbed into bed, turning off the light beside him. Lacing his fingers behind his head, he stared at the ceiling, contemplating what to do about his houseguest. 

He had obviously gone too far that afternoon, snooping at something that was none of his business. Wincing guiltily, he turned angrily and stared out the window, watching the breeze play lightly with its curtain.

Yes, he had gone too far, but damn it, it was the dobe's own fault. He always somehow managed to bring out the worst side of Sasuke, worming his way though the layers of uncaring and coldness and stirring something deep within the Uchiha. Maybe that was why Sasuke liked being around Naruto so much; the boy was the only person who could make him feel alive.

Sasuke had tried several times that night to speak to his companion, both verbally and mentally, but every attempt had met steely silence. Naruto had somehow figured out how to cast a veil over his mind, not completely hiding his thoughts but only allowing Sasuke to see blurred, silhouetted versions of his real thoughts.

Scrunching his eyes in frustration, the young Uchiha turned his mind back to the image that had caused the whole mess to begin with. Alright, so maybe he hadn't chosen to peek at Naruto's crush simply to piss his friend off. Maybe he had felt just the _teensiest_ pull of genuine curiosity…

Not that it was his fault, by all means no. It wasn't Sasuke's fault that for some reason, he had lately been finding his blonde teammate down right capitivating. It also wasn't his fault that his perverted, hormone induced dreams had taken a shining to using his younger friend as their star attraction. And it was _definitely_ not his fault that for some unexplainable reason, although he tried to deny it over and over, Sasuke was hopelessly falling for his best friend.

Yes, he had finally come to terms with this inescapable truth. He, Uchiha Sasuke, was falling for none other than his loudmouthed, annoying, baka of a best friend, Uzumaki Naruto. Of course, along with this realization, Sasuke had also come to the simultaneous conclusion that the gods hated him, and he was obviously being punished for something.

However, while he thought that prying a glance at the blonde's crush would confirm the fact that Sasuke's infatuation was a doomed one, the picture had only left him more confused. After all, he had always assumed that Naruto was head over heals for Sakura, but the figure he had glimpsed for a second was definitely not Tsunade's renowned medical apprentice.

No, the figure of Naruto's desires had displayed dark black hair, cropped short, and very pale skin, like snow. And although Sasuke had racked his brains for hours, he could not think of any girl in the village matching that description except for Hinata. But if it was Hinata, then what was the hold up? Obviously the shy girl was as hopelessly smitten with the loudmouth as Sasuke was, and Naruto couldn't be _that_ oblivious.

Maybe someone from a different village, then? Someone they had met on a mission? '_Maybe its you, you baka_,' the voice of his subconscious whispered suggestively. '_Black hair, pale skin, it sure sounds like you…_'

The very thought set the Uchiha's heart racing wildly, but he shook his head and forced down the bubble of hope that was growing in his gut. '_Don't be stupid_,' he hissed to himself, '_I might by gay, but Naruto sure as hell isn't. One look at him when Sakura and Ino are around would tell you that_.'

He waited hopefully for the argument, but even the little voice in the back of his head didn't have an answer to that undeniable truth. Sighing at the hopelessness of the situation, Sasuke settled down into his blankets and let sleep take him, agreeing with Naruto's earlier statement.

He was most definitely screwed.

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_Well, what did you guys think? Sorry this chapter was kind of short...I'm trying very hard to keep these guys in character **and** get a relationship going. Please review and give me lots of input!_


	6. Late Night Realizations

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Naruto gang

_Sorry that the last chapter was so short...originally, 5 and 6 were combined, but I decided to split them up a little so that things weren't too rushed...the relationship definitely starts to speed up in this chapter, whether our guys like it or not. Enjoy!_

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Naruto leaned his head against the window frame, allowing the sweet evening breeze to gently kiss his whiskered cheeks. Confused thoughts barraged his mind, making sleep impossible.

That had been too close. Sasuke had just come too close. If he had seen…the figure that was about to be revealed was really…cerulean eyes closed in defeat. '_He'd hate me.'_

He had heard Sasuke call to him worriedly through the door, he had felt the gentle prodding at the edges of his mind, but he could not bring himself to face his best friend.

It wasn't that he was mad; after feeling wave after wave of guilt and concern roll off the house's other inhabitant for hours, Naruto had forgiven Sasuke almost immediately. It had been a challenge after all, what had he expected?

No, it was himself that Naruto was angry with. It was his own fault that he couldn't control his feelings, his own fault that he had almost allowed Sasuke to stumble in and see…

It wasn't as if Naruto had never liked someone before. He had carried a healthy crush on Sakura around for years, and still had a soft spot for the fiery medical nin. He had appreciated Ino's curves from a distance. Hell, he had even felt a twinge between he and Gaara for a while…

Yes, that's correct; Naruto had accepted the fact that he was bi years ago. It wasn't as if he could help it; for some reason gender simply didn't concern him. He saw no problem in being attracted to someone who matched you on the inside, regardless of their pieces and parts on the outside. He wondered if Kyuubi had something to do with this outlook on romance, as the demon had explained that gender was unimportant when demons mated; they could simply convert into whichever sex they preferred.

The problem was, for the better part of two years now, Naruto had discovered that he was attracted to someone completely off limits. Someone who was far beyond his reach. At first he hadn't been able to comprehend these feelings, his mind screaming that they were wrong and his heart screaming that nothing could be more right. After months of turmoil, the kitsune had finally accepted his fate, acknowledging that he had fallen hopelessly and completely for the person he held dearest in life, but at the same time vowing to never act on his feelings, instead suffering them silently, hiding them with everything else under a smile that never quite reached his eyes.

Because if Naruto didn't hide his feelings, if he let them become exposed, then Sasuke would have looked into his mind, and he would have seen…

…himself. Sasuke would have seen that the object of Naruto's desires, the person Naruto viewed as the most precious thing in his life, was really the Uchiha himself. And he'd have hated him for it.

And that was something that Naruto simply could not bare.

Allowing another sigh to escape, Naruto debated whether it was even worth trying to sleep tonight. Jumping lightly down from his perch on the windowsill, the blonde walked slowly to his bed, but just as he reached out a hand to turn down the blankets, he stopped dead in his tracks, his breath hitching in his throat.

Every nerve in his body sang with excitement, a warm feeling uncurling deep within his belly and leaving him gasping for air.

'_Unn…ugn…Naruto…_'

The blonde's eyes snapped open as he heard Sasuke's breathless voice echo throughout his head. '_What the-!_'

But his bewildered question was cut off by another mental groan from the bedroom down the hall. '_Mmm…yes…hnn…please…_'

Sweat broke out over Naruto's brow and delicious feelings were brought to life. Surely Sasuke couldn't be dreaming what Naruto _thought_ he was dreaming…

Heart beating painfully in his throat, the blonde flew out of his room, racing down the dark hallway and throwing open the door to Sasuke's bedroom. Before him, the Uchiha lay tangled in his sheets, panting heavily, a small smile gracing his lips as his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Nggghn!" Sasuke suppressed a cry and grunt at the same time, making an odd noise in his throat that seemed to echo throughout his quiet bedroom. Naruto swallowed hard, taking a step forward as another wave of mental encouragements slammed into him.

'_Gods yes!_' The sleeping boy's mouth opened in a silent scream of pleasure. '_Naruto…ung…sweet Kami, **please**…_'

Naruto stifled a groan, his body feeling like it was on fire as images of Sasuke's dream infiltrated his mind. He had to stop this before Kyuubi forced him to take the other boy right then and there, sleeping or not. Forcing his dry mouth to swallow, he reached a trembling hand forward, shaking the Uchiha's shoulder none to gently.

At this contact, a bolt of energy shot through both bodies, causing both boys to let out a simultaneous groan as they were struck with an image of two sweat soaked bodies intertwined, accompanied by a powerful, mind blowing wave of pleasure.

Knees no longer able to support his weight, Naruto collapsed in a trembling pile next to the bed, raising his eyes to meet the now open pools of obsidian. Sasuke stared right back, breath coming out in ragged gasps. "N-Naruto?"

The brunette's gaze was full of lust and confusion, but as his mind began to separate dream from reality, Naruto could feel waves of embarrassment, horror, and panic radiate off the body before him.

"W-what just…?" Sasuke trailed off, afraid to hear the answer to his own question.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, forcing out a nervous smile. "You were…um…having a dream?" He felt a blush begin to creep across his face. "A-and…you sorta, uh, decided to share it…"

Now it was Sasuke's time to blush, the brunette lurching upright and backward in horror. "I-I…" his shaking voice began to stammer in a very un-Uchiha like manner.

Naruto tried to cut him off, struggling with his own embarrassment. "It's ok Sasuke, really. It was just a stupid dream." He tried desperately to ignore the image of intertwining legs…

"No, I…" Sasuke tried again, but could only bury his face in his hands, shaking slightly and at a loss of what to do.

'_Oh for Kami's sake, lets just screw him senseless and be done with it!_' A gruff voice interrupted both mortified lines of thought.

'_Shut **UP**, Kyuubi!_' Naruto squeaked, scrunching his eyes against the wave of images _that_ suggestion brought forth.

Sasuke, however, had frozen, peering slowly up to meet Naruto's eyes. "What…?" He asked cautiously, a slight tremor in his voice. "Who…what…? Was that…?"

Naruto felt terror rush through his veins, a panic attack looming over him.

'_Kit! Breathe! Come on, in out, in out; we've practiced this,_' the voice boomed, caring an amused edge to it. '_Good boy, again, deeeep breath…gooood_' the voice continued to croon, Naruto's hyperventilation slowing down slightly.

"That's…that's the Kyuubi, isn't it?" Sasuke breathed, staring at the blonde in wonder. "You can talk to it?"

"Talking is easy, getting him to shut up is the tricky part," Naruto cracked weakly, causing Sasuke's lip to twitch upwards in spite of himself. Humor was Naruto's classic defense mechanism, regardless of the situation.

'_Funny Kit, how very witty of your. **Now** can we screw his ass?_' Naruto choked and sputtered, his blush reaching to the tips of his ears.

'_I said shut up, you!_' He ground out to his inhabitant. Turning back Sasuke, he noticed that the Uchiha was sitting in a state of shock, looking as if his whole world had just been turned upside down. "Heh, heh…sorry 'bout that. Horny, several-thousand-years-old demon…what are you gonna do?" He laughed weakly, fighting the urge to give up and start crying. '_That's it, my life is officially over._'

Sasuke just stared at the blonde blankly, a stunned expression still on his face. Naruto returned the gaze uneasily, fidgeting with the blanket on Sasuke's bed and searching desperately for something to break the silence.

And then, slowly, the Uchiha's lip twitched. At first it seemed his muscle was having a small spasm, but slowly the twitching lip turned upward, forming a small smile. Then a bigger smile. And then Uchiha Sasuke, last survivor of the Uchiha clan, sworn avenger of his murdered clan who never showed emotion, began to chuckle.

Naruto stared in shock as his best friend sat helplessly on his bed, clutching a pillow for support. The chuckles turned to full-hearted laughter, laced with an almost hysterical quality, and tears began to stream from the brunette's eyes.

His mind unable to handle the situation anymore, Naruto found he could do nothing but choose to laugh or cry, a decision Sasuke had obviously already made. Listening to his normally stoic teammate's peals of uncontrollable laughter, he unconsciously felt his own lips twitch in response. Unable to stop himself, he felt all of the confusion, hysteria, and overflowing emotions well up inside of him, and within moments, he was joining the older boy, clutching his stomach and laughing so hard that tears ran down his face.

When the helpless fit of laughter finally died down, both boys lay sprawled on Sasuke's bed, exhausted both physically and mentally, occasional giggles wracking their frames. Too tired to even attempt a discussion about that night's strange events, they silently agreed to leave it until morning, and instead drifted off to sleep side-by-side, small smiles still on their faces.

Right before sleep claimed him, Naruto felt a hand tentatively reach for his, fingers lacing with his own and a small, satisfied sigh escaping his companion's lips. Giving a sigh of his own, the blonde felt his smile grow a fraction wider, and then he slipped peacefully into his world of dreams.

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_Wipes brow Phew, another one down. This is the chapter I was the most nervous about posting so far, because I had to give the relationship a good shove to get it rolling...poor Sasuke! His momentary dignity was a necessary sacrifice to move the plot along...tonight hysteria and exhaustion may have taken over, but what will the morning bring? Understanding? Arguments? Or utter chaos..._

(I understand that we got a **little** OOC here, but in reality, that's what happens in highly stressful/emotional situations. Don't worry though, next chapter they will be back to their stubborn, obnoxious, yet lovable selves! Keep reviewing!)


	7. Questions and Confessions

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything...

_Sorry it took so long to update! I'm very sorry to tell you all this, but the next update probably will take much longer. I just moved into my dorm and I'm going to need sometime to sort out all my classes and adjust, so this story is going to be put on hold...not too long, just a couple weeks. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience! Anyway, to make up for it, I've written you all a nice, long, fluffy chapter that I hope will entertain you and tide you over for a little while!_

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Naruto yawned as he rose slowly from a deep, lazy sleep, the morning's sunshine dancing on his closed eyelids as the last remnants of his dream faded away. Not wanting to get up just yet, he nestled himself deeper into the warm blankets, and snuggled closer to the convenient source of heat to his left.

His newfound snuggle-post was everything a snuggle-post should be; warm, soft, and well cushioned. Trying to burrow deeper still, he wrapped one arm around it to draw it closer…and almost jumped out of his skin when his snuggle-post wrapped its own arm around him in return.

Naruto froze. Wait, snuggle posts didn't have arms. Come to think of it, what the hell _was_ a snuggle-post, anyway? The blonde lay in confusion for a moment, and then suddenly the memories of the previous night came rushing back to him, along with the realization of what, or rather _who_, his "snuggle-post" was.

With a surprised and embarrassed yell, Naruto sprang away from the other boy on the bed, pushing away the offending heat source he had only moments ago pulled closer.

Startled awake by his friend's loud yell, a groggy Uchiha only managed a weak, "wha-?" before his unsuspecting body was suddenly given a burst of momentum and he was sent flying over the edge of the bed.

The brunette landed on the hard, wooden floor with a grunt, staring up at the ceiling in hopeless confusion. '_what the…_' his mind grasped feebly for an explanation to his current location. And then it all came back, the dream, the demon, and…

"Naruto?" he called sweetly from his _graceful_ pile of limbs on the floor. A mound of unruly curls peeked over the edge of the bed, framing the sheepish face of his friend as the younger boy peered down at him.

"…Yeah?"

Sasuke gave him an overly sweet smile and quirked on eyebrow quizzically. "Did you have something you wanted to tell me?"

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, letting out a nervous laugh. "Um…good morning?"

The Uchiha sat up from his prone position, attempting to roll the kinks from his neck. "Ah, I see, so naturally you found it necessary to _launch_ me from my bed in order to wish me good morning?" He stood up, stretching his arms over his head, which resulted in a series of cracks and pops down his spine.

Naruto sat back on his heels, giving his friend an apologetic glance. "Heh heh, yeah, I'm uh, sorry about that…you just startled me is all."

Sasuke leaned forward, placing one knee on the bed and leaning forward until his lips were right alongside the younger boy's ear. He noted with amusement the flush that spread over the blonde's face at this unexpected closeness.

"Well in that case," Sasuke crooned seductively, placing one hand on his rival's chest and then suddenly giving the other boy a good shove, which sent him toppling backwards off the bed and onto the floor with yell of surprise and a loud thud, "good morning to you too, dobe."

Without another glance at his fallen comrade, he gathered up his clothes and headed off for a shower, whistling cheerfully to himself.

"TEME!" Naruto shouted from the floor, struggling fiercely to free his legs from a knot of blankets. "Come _back_ here, damnit!"

* * *

Sasuke dug a spoon into his oatmeal fiercely, trying for the world to ignore the other inhabitant of his house, who was currently sitting across the table from him, staring uncomfortably down at his own bowl of gooey-oat-goodness. 

Tension hung thick the air, and Sasuke found himself wishing he had never woken up that morning, but instead stayed all day in the comfortable bliss of unthinking sleep.

Not that he had really been given a choice.

However, regardless of the circumstances surrounding his waking up, the simple fact of the matter was that the young Uchiha was now very much awake, and although he and Naruto had managed to act normally to each other for all of fifteen minutes, awkwardness had soon set in as both boys refused to acknowledge or discuss last night's shared dream.

'_Just think about something else_,' he instructed his mind angrily, taking another vicious bite of his wrongly abused breakfast, '_Think about **anything** else…Itachi, that's a good distraction…think of Itachi and how I want to…feel his merciless hot lips caressing my neck!_'

Sasuke prompty choked on his mouthful of oatmeal, turning a bright shade of red. "_Damnit_ Naruto! Would you stop _thinking_ about it!"

Now it was the blonde's turn to choke, turning scarlet as he found himself caught in his own musings of last night's dream.

"I'm s-sorry," he managed to gasp out, reaching for the class of orange juice before him to help clear his throat. Finally able to breath, he looked sheepishly at his scowling best friend.

"I just can't help it. It's…it was…interesting…"

"Interesting?" Sasuke ground out incredulously, his face heating up again with embarrassment. "Listen, dobe. It's bad enough I had to experience it the first time, but I don't need to keep reliving it through your perverted mind's rerun projector!"

Naruto's legendary temper flared. "Now wait just one minute, you bastard!" He had jumped out of his seat, leaning across the table and glaring down at Sasuke. "None of this whole god damned mess is _my_ fault! _You_ are the horny bastard. _You_ are the one who mentally molested me in the Land of Nod. And _you_ are the one whose sick, perverted mind dreamt up the whole damn situation!"

An evil smile crept across the blonde's face as he smiled sweetly down at the furious boy below him. "Oh yeah, and if I remember it correctly," he leaned a little lower, smiling so wide Sasuke thought his face might crack, "_you_ are the one who was calling _my_ name like a breathless little school girl."

He burst out laughing, quickly jumping backwards as a livid Sasuke slammed his spoon onto the table and lunged for Naruto's neck across the table. "Fuck you, Uzumaki!" He yelled furiously, circling the table to better reach his soon-to-be-dead rival.

"Only in your dreams, Sasuke," the blonde cackled, batting his eyelashes and dancing out of the Uchiha's grasp once again before taking off up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Racing after him, his eyes beginning to glow red with sharingan, Sasuke reached forward, almost getting a hand on the younger boy's shirt collar, but found himself slamming into a thick wooden door instead as Naruto barricaded himself in the bathroom.

"Come out of there, you coward," the Uchiha roared, pounding on the door hard enough to bruise his fist.

"Oh, _Naruto_," squealed a high-pitched, girlish voice from within, clearly doing a bad impression of the now murderous Uchiha, "_please_ Naruto!"

"Ugh!" Sasuke spat in disgust, slamming his head on the unyielding door in frustration. Stepping back, his hands shaking in fists held rigidly at his sides, the youngest member of the Uchiha clan forced himself to take a deep breath. '_Just relax_,' he admonished himself, '_count backwards from 100…100, 99, 98, 97..._'

"Oh, Naruto, _harder_!" wailed the infuriating voice on the other side other door.

Sasuke's fists clenched deeper, nails biting into his palm. '_**1000**, 999, 998…_'

* * *

Two hours later, both boys were sprawled lazily across an overstuffed sofa, distractedly watching a movie on the living room's large TV. screen. The younger of the two was gingerly prodding at his newly developed black eye. 

Alright, so maybe the fake orgasm had been going a little too far, and perhaps he should have seen it coming, but who could have honestly foreseen that crazy bastard actually breaking down his own damn bathroom door?

Naruto snuck a sideways glance at the boy seated next to him, studying the blank face bathed in the television's flickering blue light. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so many things he wanted to know, but every time he tried, he chickened out and ended up saying something nasty instead, triggering yet another argument.

"You want to take a picture?" A dry voice asked him, eyes never leaving the movie.

"Huh?"

"It would probably last longer."

"Bastard," Naruto grumbled, shoving his friend's shoulder and reaching for the bowl of popcorn.

A small smirk appeared on the older boy's lips as he continued watching the movie, and they sat in comfortable silence for several minutes. Finally, he sighed, reached for the clicker, hit pause, and sat up, turning to face the questioning look Naruto was giving him.

"Naruto," he started, searching his friend's eyes for something…he wasn't sure what.

"Sasuke," the blonde returned, mimicking his tone.

Sighing, the brunette broke their gaze, facing back to the paused screen and closing his eyes. He wanted to say it, he really did, but as he began to open his mouth, he chickened out. Frustrated at his own cowardice, he scowled and clenched a fist. "Tell me about Kyuubi," he finally asked instead, hoping to distract the blonde from the mental debate he had just had with himself by launching a direct attack.

Naruto straightened up from his slouched position, finally becoming serious. He sat in silence for several long minutes, studying his friend's face carefully, and Sasuke began to suspect that the blonde wasn't going to respond.

But then the younger boy shrugged, turning back to the television and tossing a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "What do you want to know?"

Surprised that his friend was actually offering information about his biggest secret, Sasuke considered which question he wanted to ask, finally settling on his most recent one. "Have you always been able to communicate with him?"

"No, at first I didn't even know he was inside of me. Then I began connecting with him during particularly difficult battles, but I could only contact him when I was in a near death situation or I was trying to protect someone close to me. The first time was with Haku." The younger boy looked down at his hands for a moment, and Sasuke could feel the waves of sadness and regret rolling off the blonde.

Naruto cleared his throat, looking back to the frozen movie screen. "Recently, I began researching the seal on my stomach and experimenting with different forms of meditation. It took almost a year, but I was finally able to open up a simple, two-way link between Kyuubi and me."

"A link?"

"Yeah, it's pretty simple," Naruto continued, eyes never leaving the screen. "He sees what I see, hears what I hear, feels what I feel. We can even talk to each other mentally, which comes in useful during battles, but also has its downsides, as you saw last night." He snorted as he brought another handful of popcorn to his mouth, "The damn fox has a wicked sense of humor."

'_Oh I don't know Kit, I'd call it seasoned…_'

'_Yeah, and **I'd** call it horny._' Naruto shot back to his inhabitant without missing a beat.

Sasuke listened the exchange with a mixture of awe and amusement. "So he always…?"

Naruto turned to face the brunette, finally warming up to the conversation as his explanations were not meeting the horror and disgust he had feared, but rather honest curiosity. It wasn't often he got to discuss Kyuubi with anyone except Tsunade and occasionally Iruka, Kakashi, and Jiraiya.

"Well no, not exactly. He can tune in whenever he wants, but usually we respect each other's privacy." '_Usually_,' he mentally shot at the fox, who pointedly ignored him. "He kind of…retreats to his little corner of my mind and stays there until I need him."

"Cozy," Sasuke replied dryly, unable to keep the sarcasm from seeping through. However, when he saw the slightly hurt expression on Naruto's face when his honesty met criticism, he instantly regretted it. "What I meant was…I mean, everyone things that Kyuubi is…" he trailed off, wincing as his words stumbled over each other and only succeeded to dig his hole deeper.

'_…evil?_' a deep voice boomed inside of his head. Sasuke finally met Naruto's gaze, Kyuubi's voice echoing in his head. "Yeah."

Naruto chewed at his lip, searching for a way to phrase his answer. "Well, I wouldn't call the bastard _evil_. Obnoxious, yes. Horny, yes. Downright sadistic at times, yes. But evil? No…I'd say he's just…misunderstood." His blue eyes locked on Sasuke's brown ones. "Kind of like me."

Sasuke held the gaze for a few minutes, finally nodding slightly in understanding. Picking up the clicker, he hit play and the movie came back to life. "Alright then."

But to his surprise, a strong, tan hand shot out to grab the clicker from his hand, repausing the video. "My turn."

Turning back to the blonde with some dread, Sasuke winced. '_I guess its only fair…_'

'_Damn straight._'

He rolled his eyes at the blonde's mental eavesdropping. "Fine."

Naruto smiled nervously, his hands playing with the popcorn bowl as he tried to find the right words. Finally taking a deep breath, refusing to meet the brunette's eyes, he began shakily.

"D-do you…I mean was that dream…" he trailed off helplessly, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. However, as Sasuke watched with slight dread and at the same time fascination, the blonde squared his shoulders, gripped the bowl in his hands tightly, and looked straight into the Uchiha's eyes, his jaw set in determination. "Did that dream mean shit, or are you just a horny bastard?"

Sasuke sat staring for several long moments. The blonde could read any thoughts that went through his head at the time, so lying would have been pointless, but as it was, the Uchiha's mind had gone completely blank as he numbly tried to digest the question.

Finally, wetting his lips nervously, he looked down at his hands, hair hiding his eyes. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Naruto's heart jumped to his throat, his stomach tying itself into knots. "What the hell is that's suppos-"

And suddenly the blonde froze, finding his words cut off by a soft, hesitant brush of velvet lips over his own. Sitting back, Sasuke grabbed the clicker from his now lax, stunned grasp, a light blush dusting his pale cheeks.

"Maybe," he repeated in his usual monotone voice, hitting play and refusing to look Naruto in the eye.

* * *

_Alright, that's it for now! I hope you all enjoyed it, please give me lots of reviews, and please please **please** don't forget about my story while I take this short break! I promise I'll be back before you know it!_


	8. Getting to Know You

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor**: I wish I owned 'em, but I don't!

_Thank you all so much for your patience! I finally got another chapter done! From now on, the updates won't be coming as fast as they did in the beginning, but they won't take as long as **this** one took, either! Thanks for not forgetting about me, and here is the next chapter..._

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"Bi?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the blonde whose head was currently resting in the raven's lap. The movie had ended over two hours ago, but neither boy had any desire to leave their comfortable positions on the sofa.

"Yup. I'm open to experimentation, free expression, all that."

"Hn." Sasuke considered this, one finger tentatively reaching out to twirl a golden curl. He peaked down to see if the other boy minded, but Naruto didn't even seem to notice; in fact, the blonde didn't even have his eyes open at the moment.

"I don't mind it," the blonde spoke lazily from below, "it actually feels kinda good."

Sasuke didn't even flinch. He was starting to get the hang of this mind connection thing, and he was surprised to find it didn't really bother him after awhile.

As they had sat talking for the past couple of hours, the Uchiha had noticed that words and thoughts were beginning to blend together, getting harder and harder to separate. But instead of feeling exposed and weak by this lack of privacy, the older boy had discovered that he actually enjoyed the feeling of closeness it created, eliminating all of the barriers he usually surrounded himself with.

Talking had become a lot easier without these barriers. Memories, fears, random ideas, they all just seemed to flow from the normally stoic Uchiha, and were enthusiastically returned by his blonde.

Yes, _his_ blonde.

Funny how fast possessiveness can take hold of you.

Not long after his first timid kiss, Sasuke had almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Naruto cautiously adjust his position on the couch, leaning away from the far armrest and resting his weight instead against Sasuke's side. Feeling the older boy tense, Naruto froze and begun to pull back a little, but the Uchiha had hurried to stop him, grunting out "Hn, leave it, you're fine," as casually as he could.

As the movie continued, Sasuke had discovered that concentration was almost impossible with the blonde at this proximity. Every time the other boy moved, coughed, or chuckled at a joke, every nerve in the raven's body would sing with excitement. And when Naruto had readjusted himself once more, allowing his head to rest gently in the other boy's lap, Sasuke had suddenly found himself unable to breathe. He had spent the next forty minutes on cloud nine, ignoring the movie in favor of relishing in the blonde's new position, and now he wasn't even sure how the damn thing had ended.

"He gets the girl." Naruto's voice was getting sleepier as the slow, mesmerizing feeling of Sasuke's finger in his hair slowly lulled him to sleep.

Feeling his own eyelids beginning to grow heavy, Sasuke, with more than a tad of disappointment, forced himself to remove the blonde from his lap and stand, stretching lazily and suppressing a yawn. "I'm going to bed."

"Already?" Naruto pouted, lying on the recently abandoned couch, eyes only half-mast. "But it's still early."

Sasuke glanced at the VCR clock. "It's 2 a.m."

The blonde's pout deepened adorably. "Fine," he stuck his tongue out immaturely, rolling over so his back faced the raven, "you go to bed, but I'm sleeping here tonight."

Sasuke nodded and left the room, heading for his bedroom down the hall. However, when he got there, the luxurious bed suddenly did not seem as inviting as usual, and he paused at the foot of it, staring thoughtfully.

Moments later, Naruto grunted as he felt someone shake his shoulder, and he peaked upward through heavy, slitted eyes to see who had the audacity to disturb his beauty sleep.

His sleepy, somewhat hostile gaze was greeted by the sight of a pajama-clad Uchiha who was towering over him, holding the comforter off of his bed in a pale hand. The brunette arched an eyebrow expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you going to move over or not?"

A small smile lit up the blonde's face as he scooted over on the couch, allowing Sasuke to lie down and throw the blanket over both of them. Molding himself to Naruto's back so he wouldn't fall off, Sasuke wrapped one arm around the younger boy's waist, securely anchoring himself. "Goodnight, dobe."

Naruto turned himself slightly, catching his friend's unsuspecting lips in a shy, hesitant kiss of his own. He allowed it to continue for a minute, growing slightly braver as shyness and the fear of rejection disappeared was replaced by curiosity and excitement. Finally breaking away gently, he turned back around, cerulean eyes growing heavy with sleep. "'Night teme."

As he felt himself begin to drift off, Naruto's hand felt around behind him, searching for something. It only had to wait a moment before another hand intertwined with it, and both boys immediately fell into a deep, content sleep.

* * *

"It's so good to see you looking better!" Naruto smiled down at the excited bundle of pink hair that was currently hugging him joyfully, a grin on her face. Thanks to his last growth spurt, the cheerful blonde now towered well over his friend, Sakura's head only reaching his chin. 

"And it's good to see you too, Sasuke," the girl detached herself from Naruto to give Sasuke a friendly hug as well, smiling as he returned it stiffly but sincerely.

Tsunade's talented apprentice had outgrown her crush on the Uchiha years ago, realizing it for the childhood infatuation it was and moving on with unexpected ease. She had been pleasantly surprised to discover that once she stopped stalking the stoic boy, he had finally warmed up to her (well, as warm as a Uchiha can get), and they had finally started to form the friendship she had wanted for so long.

'_Ironic_,' she mused to herself, '_I wasn't able to get close to Sasuke until I learned to let him go_'.

Her relationship with Naruto had also improved over the years. Having done away with her shortsighted assumptions that the energetic boy was simply obnoxious and weak long ago, Sakura had slowly realized how strong the blonde actually was, and not just physically.

Yes, the immature, dysfunctional members of team seven had finally grown up and become a sort of family, and Sakura could not even begin to image what life would be like without her two brothers. She loved them both.

The three old friends had decided to take a walk through Konoha, catching up on the last few weeks and sharing humorous anecdotes about missions and training.

As Sasuke grew tired of the conversation, he allowed his mind to wonder, observing the market crowd surrounding them with mild interest. Suddenly, he caught a snippet of Naruto's current train of thought, and a smirk formed on his lips.

The blonde still outwardly seemed to be listening to their talkative friend, who had been babbling about the latest town gossip for the past fifteen minutes now, adding "mmhm's" and other encouraging sounds in all the right places, but the chuunin's thoughts had begun to wander, and his true attention was currently focused on discreetly admiring the pink haired girls ample curves.

'_I fail to see the attraction_,' Sasuke pointed out dryly, following his friend's line of sight with distaste and, yes, he admitted it, a bit of jealousy.

"That's hilarious!" the blonde replied to the story Sakura had just shared without missing a beat, but Sasuke didn't miss the small smile that snuck onto his lips. '_You're just not looking at them right,_' he shot back almost instantaneously.

When Sakura turned away to wave to someone, Naruto met the raven's eyes and nodded slightly to their friend's shapely figure, the curves swaying appealingly as the girl moved with true shinobi grace. '_Fantastic_,' he sighed happily, smiling as she turned back to him. "Interesting," he said aloud, nodding in response to whatever the girl had just told him.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke's feeling of jealousy only grew stronger. '_You should show her some respect_,' he scolded, before smirk grew a little wider. '_Suppose I told her what was going on in that dirty mind of yours…_'

Naruto visibly blanched as he imagined the horrific and probably violent consequences of this threat. True, he had currently been studying his friend like a piece of eye candy, but that didn't mean he didn't possess deep respect for the female shinobi; he was just a guy! He couldn't help it! But somehow, Naruto didn't see Sakura reacting to his antics with that level of understanding. '_You wouldn't..._'

The irritating spark of jealously still fresh in his mind, Sasuke allowed an all out, evil grin to break over his face. '_Ah, but I would._'

However, before he could make good on his threat, Sakura turned to face them. "What do you guys think?" She asked expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto immediately jumped in. "I totally agree, Sakura-chan. Kiba should definitely go for it," he shot a wicked look at the oldest member of the group, almost purring his next statement. "What do _you_ think, Sasuke?"

Sasuke froze, glaring furiously at the blonde skipping before him, who was currently grinning like the cat who ate the canary. He desperately wracked his mind for a suitable answer, but only one word kept flashing over and over. '_Damnit!_' It was very clear that he had been caught not listening, and he silently cursed the blonde's uncanny ability to simultaneously carry on two conversations at once, one external and one internal.

'_Comes from many, many years of practice_,' Naruto chortled happily, secretly thanking Kyuubi and the demon's sometimes incessant train of chatter.

"Sasuke, were you even listening to me?" Sakura pouted, her eyebrows narrowing in irritation.

"Jeez Sasuke, you should pay more attention. Show Sakura-chan a little _respect_!" The blonde sing-songed Sasuke's own words back at him, almost bursting at the seams trying to contain his laughter at the murderous look they earned him.

"I'm sorry, Sakura, it's been a long day and my mind must have wandered," the Uchiha apologized sheepishly. '_Bastard!_' He mentally snarled, angry to have had the tables turned on him so suddenly.

'_No teme, **you're** the bastard, **I'm** the moron, remember? Sheesh, you really **should** pay more attention._' Naruto's grin had taken on an almost maniacal glint by this point, and Sasuke was finding it very hard to resist the urge of cutting it off the boy's face with a kunai.

Gritting his teeth, the Uchiha took yet another deep breath. '_100, 99, 98…oh, screw it, I'm going to **kill** him when we get home!_'

* * *

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Sakura had finally said her goodbyes and started to head home, after prying a particularly clingy Naruto off of her arm (for some reason the blonde didn't seem to want to go home, although Sasuke was exhibiting a slightly creepy and violent grin). Looking over her shoulder at the two boys, she gave them one last wave, smiling as their telltale bickering followed her home and hoping they didn't kill each other before this whole mess was sorted out. 

Once they reached the Uchiha mansion, Naruto sighed and flopped down on the sofa, stretching out and rubbing his full stomach. "It was really nice of Sakura-chan to treat us to lunch, don't you think, te-oomph!"

The blonde's grunted as the wind was knocked out of his chest, looking nervously up at two smoldering black eyes and their owner, who was currently seated on his chest. "Why Naruto," he smiled wickedly, leaning down so that their breath mingled and swirled together, "you shouldn't let yourself get so distracted, it might get you into trouble."

The blonde grinned back up at him, his voice taking on a teasing, suggestive tone. "Then you'll just have to try to catch my attention."

Needing no further encouragement, Sasuke closed the final distance between them, crushing his lips forcefully into the soft ones below him. The breathless moan that escaped Naruto's throat only encouraging him to attack with even more zeal.

Naruto closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling as Sasuke's lips lay siege to his own. This kiss was much deeper than the tentative ones they had shared yesterday, filled with enthusiasm and a little passion as well. Opening his lips slightly, he allowed the older boy entrance to his mouth, smiling into the kiss as the brunette explored it thoroughly while intertwining a hand in the other boy's mess of unruly curls.

Heat spreading through his body, Naruto's own hand began to trace the toned muscles of Sasuke's back as he pulled boy down on top of him, wanting as much contact as possible. As the raven continued to rain kisses down on him, he began to feel dizzy, and clutched at the other boy for an anchor, eagerly swallowing the groan that escaped his attacker's lips.

Sasuke pulled away slowly, a smug light dancing in his eyes. "Do I have your undivided attention yet, dobe?"

Naruto grinned upwards before suddenly rolling them both off of the couch and onto the floor, with him seated on top of the Uchiha's chest. Satisfied with their new positions, he leaned down to once more catch Sasuke's now swollen lips. "Oh yes," he murmured, taking the other boys bottom lip and giving an experimental tug, delighted at the sounds it elicited from his partner, "now I'm _very_ interested…"

* * *

Sasuke glared murderously at the knocking at his front door. He was going to _kill_ whoever it was. 

Naruto squirmed on his lap, trying to pull away as the Uchiha relentlessly attacked his neck. "Sasuke," he gasped, pushing against the toned chest underneath him, "let me go, we have to answer the door."

"Just ignore them," Sasuke mumbled, trailing his lips a little lower, trying to find a new spot that would drive the other boy crazy, "they'll go away eventually."

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to resist the urge to do just that. "They've been there for ten minutes already, they are obviously not going away," he pointed out.

"They have to give up sooner or later," Sasuke insisted, raising his eyebrows and smirking as his lips reached a certain area that sent new waves of pleasure radiating from Naruto's mind. '_Ah ha, what do we have **here**?_'

"Bastard!" Naruto half scolded, half moaned as the raven latched onto his newfound sweet spot with leechlike strength, determined to leave the blonde a hickey before surrendering his iron grip. "Let me _go_, we really should answer it."

Sasuke finally leaned back, surveying the bright red mark on the other boy's neck with satisfaction. Sighing, he reluctantly released Naruto from his lap, frowning as the other boy scrambled to fix his rumpled clothes and answer the incessant knocking.

Reaching the front door and catching his breath, the blonde pulled it open and smiled at their visitor. "Kakashi," he greeted cheerfully, "sorry about the wait, I was, uh, in the shower."

Kakashi allowed his eye to lazily take in the boy's disheveled clothes and tussled hair, finally closing in on the very fresh hickey forming on his neck. Raising an eyebrow, he finally met his former student's eyes. "Must have been one hell of a shower."

A blush spread adorably across Naruto's face as he took a step back and ushered the older man into the house. As Kakashi's eyes fell upon a very irritable Uchiha seated in a living room recliner whose hair, if possible, looked even messier than Naruto's, he felt a knowing smile tug underneath his mask. "Yo," he greeted the sullen brunette.

Sasuke grumbled something under his breath, his glare increasing in intensity. Damn Kakashi and his crappy timing.

Naruto had been living at the Uchiha mansion for five days now, and Sasuke had to admit, he was enjoying the blonde's company more than he had expected. The sullen, lonely days of training, angsting, and planning revenge that the young Uchiha had grown so used to were long gone, and the whole house seemed to be warmer and brighter due to its new inhabitant.

Lately, Sasuke's daily agenda had undergone some drastic changes. His days now included training, making out with Naruto, reading new scrolls, making out with Naruto, cooking, making out with Naruto, catching up on cleaning, and, when time allowed for it, making out with Naruto.

The blonde was like a drug, Sasuke concluded. One taste and you were hooked, hopelessly crawling back every chance you got and begging for more.

Not that Naruto really seemed to mind…

But this morning, just as he was proceeding to happily molest his blonde, damn Kakashi had to barge in and ruin his good mood.

'_Um, Sasuke? You're kinda starting to freak me out with that possessive shit…_'

"Sorry to…ah…interrupt," Kakashi drawled, eyes twinkling in a way that suggested that he wasn't sorry at all, "but Tsunade wants everyone to report to her office."

"Everyone?"

"Right," Kakashi turned back to Naruto, "you, me, Sasuke, and Sakura. Sounds like team seven has another mission."

"Yes!" Naruto cheered, running off to his room to change out of his pajamas (Sasuke had hardly managed to wait until breakfast was over this morning before pouncing on him), practically skipping down the hall.

Sasuke got up more slowly, raising an eyebrow at Kakashi. "I thought Tsunade said Naruto was on stand down until we sorted this whole interrogation jutsu out."

Kakashi glanced down at the young man who had become almost like a son to him, noting the concern he was trying to hide under his grumpy exterior. He shrugged slightly, leaning against the doorway and sticking his hands into his pockets. "Guess plans have changed."

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_What is this mission? Where are they going? Will Sasuke ever get to molest his blonde in peace again? (...ok, so you probably already know the answer to **that** one...) Tune in next time, and please keep those reviews coming! Be it short or long, good or bad, praise or critique, I want to hear what you guys think!_


	9. Sand and Demons

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor**: I tried but no dice...Naruto still is not mine...

_Sorry about the wait guys...things are busy, and I just have no time...Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it, and please forgive the slow updates! Hehehe, I just had to work in the Sasuke/Naruto/Gaara jealousy thing...it always amuses me..._

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"Gaara?" Naruto could barely contain his excitement at the prospect of visiting his old friend. "When do we leave?" he leaned forward eagerly on Tsunade's desk, choosing to ignore the images of dark clouds storming dangerously overhead that Sasuke was projecting.

The moment Tsunade had mentioned the redhead's name, Sasuke had been slammed with feelings of joy, excitement, and just a hint of something else he couldn't quite place…or maybe something he just didn't _want_ to place…And unless he had recently developed a soft spot for the current ruler of Sand, Sasuke was pretty sure those feelings did not belong to him. Which could only mean one thing…

Tsunade sighed, pushing the overzealous boy away from her desk. "You haven't even heard the mission yet, Naruto," she pointed out, trying very hard to maintain patience with his hyper bouncing.

"It doesn't matter what the mission is," Naruto chirped, skipping over to share his joy with Sasuke, hands placed on the older boy's shoulders. "We are going to visit Gaara!"

Sasuke shrugged the hands off irritably, scowling at the cheerful face before him. "I heard."

Kakashi winced at the venom that dripped off those words, a small smile pulling once again at his lips. It seemed that someone was a _little_ jealous…

Taking pity on Tsunade, as it was obvious no one was going to ask for the mission's details, the jounin cleared his throat and stepped forward to fulfill his duty as team leader. "So, what does he want?"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, folding her arms across an ample chest and frowning thoughtfully. "The details were, as usual, a little vague when dealing with sand. Evidently they have collected several pieces information that may be of interest to us. Unfortunately, this information has been drawing some…undesired attention, and in exchange for sharing it, they'd like us to send them some reinforcements.

"If muscle is all they want, then why send us? Naruto and I aren't exactly fit to travel." Sasuke was still glaring daggers at anyone within range, clearly not happy with this arrangement in the slightest.

"Normally, I would agree with you, Sasuke," Tsunade began slowly. Not needing to be able to read minds in order to feel the moody waves radiating off the raven, she searched for a delicate way to phrase her next sentence. "However, Gaara, as usual, has specifically requested Naruto for this mission."

Sasuke's glare, if possible, became even more murderous, his teeth grinding together furiously as his hand clamped down possessively over Naruto's shoulder. "Well just tell Gaara that he's out of luck, he'll just have to settle for someone else," the Uchiha snarled, spitting out Gaara's name as if it had a bad taste.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled reproachfully, trying to pull his arm away but finding himself unable to escape his friend's vice-like grip. "I _want_ to go, I haven't seen him in months! Besides, I _always_ go, Gaara won't deal with anyone but me."

Over the past several years, Konoha and Sand had grown very close together, and no one doubted that this new relationship was a direct result of the efforts of Sand's Fifth Kazekage. Ever since his first encounter with Naruto, the young Sand ninja had become a different person, striving to protect and strengthen his village as well as improve its shaky relationships with surrounding countries, Konoha being his first targeted.

And if Sabaku no Gaara was the will that directed the formation of this new friendship, Uzumaki Naruto was the glue that held it together. The two ninja shared a deep bond with one another, and as a result, Gaara always insisted that the blonde be involved with all sand missions involving participation from Konoha.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Naruto on this matter, Sasuke. We cannot risk dissolving our alliance with Sand just because you are feeling overprotective," Tsunade stated firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument. Her eyes met Kakashi's, which were twinkling in mirth. '_Or because you're feeling a little jealous_,' she added mentally, repressing a smile of her own.

"Besides," all heads turned as Sakura entered the room, juggling several heavy tomes that she carefully deposited on Tsunade's desk, "we thought that your…problem…might actually come in useful during this mission." The pink haired kunoichi turned to face a still scowling Sasuke, rolling her eyes as his glares no longer affected her. Several years under the tutorage of an ill-tempered Sennin with inhuman strength and a short temper tended to help build one's tolerance for death glares.

Even the infamous Uchiha ones.

"Come on Sasuke, think about it, you two will be connected at all times, able to communicate without anyone knowing it." She gave him a knowing look, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You will know _everything_ that happens to him."

After finally absorbing this new and very valid point, Sasuke slowly released his grip on Naruto, seemingly pacified, at least for the moment.

Immediately the other boy clutched at his bruised shoulder, whining loudly about "blonde abuse" and sticking his tongue out childishly at the mildly amused raven.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation once again, Sakura shared her own knowing look with Kakashi. This mission was going to be _very_ interesting.

* * *

"Raccoon eyes!" Naruto crowed joyously, running to crush the stoic leader of Sand in a bear hug. The redhead received the hug stiffly, arms kept straight to his sides and a nonexistent eyebrow raised questioningly, but upon closer inspection one could detect the faintest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. 

Gaara's guards watched the scene with a mixture of horror and disbelief, their minds unable to comprehend the image of their reclusive, short-tempered Kazekage accepting a hug with anything but murder reflecting in his eyes. Kakashi was fairly certain the youngest guard was going into cardiac arrest.

"Naruto," the Kazekage acknowledged the orange-clad bundle clingy around his middle with an apathetic tone, his smile quickly hidden and his face now devoid of all emotion.

The other shinobi pulled back, grinning happily at his friend's blank expression. "It's good to see you, Gaara! How long has it been? It feels like forever!"

Gaara's piercing eyes seemed to soften at this statement, and the faint smile returned slowly. "It has been four months and five days, Naruto," he allowed the tentative smile to spread across his entire face, and now Kakashi was _positive_ the youngest guard had entered cardiac arrest, "but you are right, it feels much longer."

Naruto beamed toothily at this, his exaggerated canines glinting in the hot desert sun. Landing a playful punch on the shorter boy's arm, he winked smugly. "Aw, I knew it. You missed me, you old softie!"

Too caught up in his own cackling, the blonde never noticed the ominous fist of sand gathering over his head, and consequently could do nothing more than let out a started yelp as it hammered him into the ground with, in Gaara's opinion, a very satisfying 'thud'.

Giggling at the young men's antics, Sakura hid her smile behind a delicate hand, not wanting to frighten the Kazkage's dumbstruck guards any further.

Though she doubted that was even possible at this point…

Sasuke, on the other hand, did not find any humor whatsoever in the scene unfolding before him. His shoulders had stiffened the moment Naruto had flung his arms around the other boy, his eyes had narrowed at the exasperated but amused banter that had followed, and his heart had clenched jealously at the smiles both men shared with one another.

Now, as he watched Naruto swing an arm around Gaara's neck and begin heading towards the desert city, Sasuke narrowed his eyes even further, violent images of the Kazekage's untimely death playing themselves out in his head. He was halfway through a particularly enjoyable fantasy involving a helpless Sabaku no Gaara trapped for eternity in an oversized hourglass when the blonde turned to shoot him a dirty, warning glance over an orange shoulder.

Sasuke sighed as the blonde firmly replaced his hourglass dream with a ridiculous image of the Uchiha and Gaara holding hands and skipping merrily down a sand dune.

Somehow, Sasuke just didn't find this scenario as satisfying…

* * *

"Akatsuki?" Sakura pursed her lips, eyes narrowing in confusion. "I thought Tsunade said it would take them at least another two years to rebuild their organization after"…she glanced sideways at Naruto, chewing her lip nervously…"well, after what happened last time." 

Gaara's dramatically outlined eyes flicked towards the pink haired medical nin sitting across his desk, than returned to the young blonde man who was leaning casually against a window, staring out the window contemplatively. "Yes, that is what Sand had thought as well. However, while on a stealth mission several weeks ago, one of our espionage teams uncovered something rather unusual. Upon further investigation, we received a report confirming that Akatsuki is up and running once again, although it's being operated under a much higher level of secrecy."

Sasuke's fingers dug into a wooden bookshelf dangerously hard, almost threatening to snap the shelf in two. Akatsuki? If that accursed organization was in operation again, than that meant…

'_Itachi_,' a lifeless voice echoed throughout his head.

'_Screw Itachi_,' Sasuke ground out fiercely, his knuckles growing white against the wood they clutched, '_if Akatsuki is back, then it means **you** are in danger, dobe_.' However, although he truly meant these words, the young avenger could not suppress the wave of feelings that rushed through his veins at the thought of an encounter with Itachi.

As anger, betrayal, and yes, just a hint of eagerness crept over him, he suddenly felt Naruto pull gently away from him, heavy waves of weariness rolling off the other boy. Realizing his mistake, Sasuke quickly tried to reach out with his mind and pull his friend close again, but the blonde somehow managed to slip through his grasping fingers, pulling only farther away.

When cerulean eyes finally met black, Sasuke almost took a backwards step of his own at the sadness that radiated from within them.

'_Naruto, I didn't mean-_"

"Don't,' the blonde's voice sound tired as he turned back to the window, Kakashi, Sakura, and Gaara all glancing over at him as he spoke softly. "You don't have to explain, I already understand."

"Naruto-" Sasuke started towards the other boy, but the younger man ignored him, walking to Gaara's desk and fixing the Kazekage with a piercing look.

"So what do we do now?"

The stoic boy allowed his jade eyes to flicker slightly between blonde and brunette, painfully aware of the sudden distance between them but confused of what had silently triggered it.

Although he couldn't quite manage to suppress his delight in having Naruto slide away from Sasuke and towards him, Gaara also found himself worried for his friend. As much as he hated to admit it, the young Kazekage had immediately noticed the new relationship between the two Konoha ninja, as well as the fact that it was having a positive affect on the blonde…well, on _both_ of them, actually.

But now, now something was definitely wrong. And Gaara was willing to bet his gourd it was Uchiha's fault.

Shooting the raven one last withering and accusatory glare, the leader of Sand forced his attention back to the slightly introverted yet determined ninja before him. Meeting sapphire eyes, he tried to grin, the attempt ending up as a sort of ferocious bearing of teeth.

"Now," he said calmly, "we hunt them down and destroy them before they can do the same to us."

* * *

'_Kit, you can't ignore him forever_,' Kyuubi pointed out rationally as his host lay sullenly in his guest room, the doors locked and the curtains drawn. Although Sand Country's sun was shining fiercely in the swelteringly hot hours of the late afternoon, Naruto's room remained almost completely dark as the blonde attempted to shut out the entire world. Especially a certain raven. 

'_I know that_,' he snapped irritably to the fox, staring up gloomily through the inky darkness and tracing cracks in the ceiling.

'_Just because he still wants revenge doesn't mean he doesn't care for you. Honestly, after the past week I would think that even **you** could see that_.'

'_It's more complicated than that, and you know it, Kyuubi!_' Naruto took a deep breath, attempting to control the waves of anger and hurt that were flowing through him. Clenching his fists and rubbing furiously at his eyes, he turned to his side and curled up defensively. '_I just…_' he trailed off quietly, and Kyuubi felt a tug at his heart as he heard and felt the pain in his host's heart.

"Everything was just going so great," the boy whispered hoarsely into his pillow, tears threatening to spill, "He came back. He was normal again. And this past week…I had actually started to believe that it was going to stay like that. But now…last time…how can I even expect him to make that choice?"

Unable to hold them back any longer, Naruto allowed his tears to fall, leaving hot, salty trails down whiskered cheeks.

'_Kit_,' the fox demon sighed, having understood the problem since the beginning but wanting the young boy to admit the words to himself, '_this time will be different. He has changed. You have both become stronger: you are not the same two kids who stumbled into that trap three years ago_.' He paused to let these words sink in, noting the looming cloud of fear and doubt that Naruto was still refusing to let go of. '_Just **trust** him!_'

Allowing his head to sink deeper into his now damp pillow, the blonde began to let exhaustion take over him.

'_I'm not sure I can.._.'

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_Gasp Oh no, not another cliff hanger! What will happen next? What secret is lurking in their past? Why is Naruto angsting? Why am I asking so many questions when nobody probably cares? Haha, please give me lots and lots of reviews, and keep an eye out for the next chapter!_


	10. The Turning of the Hourglass

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own them!

_She lives! Sorry for the wait, and thank you all for being so patient. Enjoy! (warning, the next couple chapters contain minor spoilers!)_

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Sakura sighed as she began to unpack her belongings, folding her clothes carefully and placing them into the dresser she would be living out of for the next few weeks while her team remained in Sand. She had already set up her extensive medical kit in a private adjoining room that had been given to her for just that reason.

Checking the contents her extra weapons pouch before placing the small leather bag in her nightstand drawer, the young kunoichi paused, staring worriedly down at her hands as her mind wandered from its task once again.

The team had met with Gaara yesterday, and had been given today off in order to get settled into their new accommodations and read over the packets of information Sand had managed to compile on the newly resurrected Akatsuki.

Naruto hadn't spoken (verbally _or_ mentally to her knowledge) to Sasuke since they left the Kazekage's office the previous day.

Heaving another sigh and finally giving up on the useless attempt to concentrate while her two "brothers" were arguing, the pink haired med nin plopped warily onto her bed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration with the whole situation.

She didn't need to be a mind reader to figure out what had happened. After working as a team with the two boys for many years, Sakura was quite adept at reading their feelings and guessing their thoughts. In her head, she began ticking off the clues she had noticed over the past few days.

Fact one, Naruto and Sasuke had begun…well perhaps "dating" wasn't the right term, but she had felt their relationship suddenly change. They were not necessarily closer: the two boys were already about as close as two individuals could get without actually merging into one being. Teammates, comrades, best friends, brothers; whatever you called it, Naruto and Sasuke shared a bond stronger than anything Sakura had ever seen.

But recently their relationship had just become more…intimate? Sakura grimaced at the cliché sound of the word, but could not come up with anything that fit better. Although she doubted anything really serious had occurred yet, the chemistry that had been poorly repressed over the past few years had finally bubbled forward, and it was obvious that the relationship Sakura had been suspecting for quite some time had finally emerged.

She rolled her eyes endearingly. Unfortunately, nothing could ever be easy with those two…

Fact two, Akatsuki had been formed once again, which meant that Itachi would be reemerging from hiding as well.

Sakura couldn't understand Sasuke's unquenchable thirst for revenge against his brother, and she doubted she ever would. After all, she had never experienced the pain the raven had gone through, nor could she even begin to imagine the enormity of the eldest Uchiha's betrayal. But she _did_ understand the simple fact that no matter how close she grew to Sasuke, and no matter how well she thought she knew him, once Itachi entered the picture, all bets were off.

Forcing herself to get off the bed, the kunoichi returned dejectedly to her unpacking.

Yes, she understood this fact, and although she almost wished Naruto didn't and was still the ignorant, naive little boy of her childhood, the blonde's severe reaction to Itachi's name had proved that he understood it as well.

* * *

Kakashi gave the redhead before him a calculating look as he leaned casually against a bookshelf in the Kazekage's office. The younger man met his look with his usual mask of indifference, but the jounin's expert eyes noticed that there was something else hiding behind those emerald eyes today. 

"You know of course," he began carefully, keeping his tone light and airy as usual, "that this has nothing to do with our current mission, and I therefore am under no obligation to disclose that information." The older man paused, shrugging one shoulder after a moment of though. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that it is classified in Fire Country, so I am actually under an obligation _not_ to tell you."

Gaara didn't even blink. "I am aware."

Kakashi gave the boy another measuring look, and the two expressionless faces battled for a brief moment.

"You are also aware that this is not really any of your business, and it is not even my story to tell."

This time the redhead did blink, slowly and deliberately, before lowering his head respectfully and almost…pleadingly. "I am aware," he said softly.

Sighing and rubbing one hand through silver hair, Kakashi stretched out a kink in his neck before settling into a more comfortable position. It seemed he was going to be here for a while.

"Alright then, I guess we start from the beginning."

* * *

**Three Years Ago…**

Jiraiya was going to kill him. He was going to get his hands around that scrawny little neck of his and just strangle the life out that boy.

And then he was going to bring him back to life and do it again.

They had one week left. One week before their three years were up. One week before Naruto's hope shattered, just as Jiraiya's had so many years ago.

However, no matter how hard Jiraiya prayed that his young apprentice would not have to experience the same pain he himself had suffered, the Sennin was furious at the stunt the blonde had pulled this time.

No, not furious. _Livid_.

The white haired man barely noticed the branches pass beneath his feet as he rushed through the woods, pushing himself to go even faster still.

Oh yes, he was going to kill that boy, slowly and painfully. And when he was satisfied, he was sure that Tsunade was going to want to have a go as well.

Glancing to his right, he noted the expression on said woman's face and grimaced at the pain and determination he saw there. Tsunade was like a sister to him, and Jiraiya knew better than anyone that Konoha's Fifth didn't deserve to suffer any more than she already had. But it seemed that fate had other plans, as it often did for shinobis.

To his left, an equally grim Kakashi sped along, his skills far below those of the party's two Sennin, but his loyalty and determination making it impossible for Tsunade to refuse him on this mission.

And the mission was simple: retrieve Uzumaki Naruto, one of Konoha's most powerful and lethal shinobi, who had recently discovered the perfect bait for one Uchiha Sasuke…himself.

Well, it wasn't necessarily _Naruto_ who was the perfect bait for Sasuke. Rather, it was Naruto who could _attract_ the perfect bait for Sasuke. You see, wherever Naruto went, Akatsuki went, and wherever Akatsuki went, Uchiha Itachi went.

And of course, wherever the eldest Uchiha went, his younger brother was sure to follow.

Thus, with this indisputable chain of truths in mind, Naruto had headed off early yesterday morning, somehow managing to elude the Anbu Jiraiya had assigned to tail him for just this reason, and walked directly and purposefully into a trap Akatsuki had set for him.

Trip one trap to set another. Yes, it was a strategy that should have made any shinobi proud, but it had its flaws. The kind of flaws only Naruto could disregard.

For example, _assuming_ that Akatsuki revealed its location in order to apprehend Naruto, and _assuming_ that Sasuke discovered this information about his brother's new whereabouts and convinced Orochimaru to allow him to leave so close to the date the snake intended to invade his body, and _even_ assuming that the blonde somehow managed to change Sasuke's mind (even though he had already failed twice) and convinced him to return home, even if _all_ of these things went according to Naruto's plan, there was still one little fact the blonde was ignoring.

At the end of it all, whether Sasuke returned to Konoha or not, Naruto would be dead.

There simply was no way that the boy could hope to escape Akatsuki once they had him in their clutches. He alone did not have the power to fight all of them, even if Sasuke had a sudden change of heart and fought with him, and he had known that asking Tsunade for backup would have been pointless as the Hokage would never have agreed to his suicidal plan in the first place.

So, as usual when faced with cold hard facts he didn't like, Naruto had thrown them to the wind, spit in logic's face, and marched off determinedly, following nothing but his instincts and his heart. Perhaps it was due to the village's disregard for the value of his life as a child, but Naruto had always found this particular equation to be quite simple. His life for the life of a friend always equaled a fair trade. And that, as they say, was that.

If possible, the three blurs seemed to increase their speed even more.

'_Naruto, if you die_,' Jiraiya promised his apprentice silently, '_I will **never** forgive you._'

* * *

**Present… **

"Even though he obviously lived, I don't think Jiraiya has completely forgiven him for that day yet." Kakashi hooked his thumbs in his pockets, gazing out the window as memories flashed before his eyes. "I'm not sure he ever will."

Gaara sat at attention at his desk, hands folded before him as he watched Kakashi unblinkingly, silently encouraging the man to continue.

"Well, I didn't arrive on the scene until much later, but from what I gather, Akatsuki began the extraction process immediately." He spared the redhead a lingering glance before continuing. "Of course, I don't have to tell you about that. However, your experience was probably a little different."

"First of all, due to the number of tails Kyuubi has, a lot more power was needed for the ritual, and a lot more stress was put on Naruto's body. However, it seems that Naruto had been developing a strategy for this very moment. He must have been planning on turning himself over to Akatsuki for months, probably as a last resort in case everything else failed. Which, of course, it did…"

The jounin waved his hand, catching himself before he broke off on a tangent. "Anyway, I _still_ don't really understand how, but Naruto and Kyuubi somehow managed to find a way to resist the release of the seal. Obviously, there is no way to completely nullify the jutsu when it's being performed, but as I said, they had been conditioning the strength of the seal for months."

As he suspected, Kakashi had finally piqued the Kazekage's interest enough to make the stoic boy break his silence. "That," he said softly and emotionlessly, "is impossible. A seal is a static jutsu, it cannot be strengthened and conditioned like a common muscle."

"That is exactly what Tsunade said when Naruto tried to explain it. I already told you, I don't understand how they did it. Naruto claims that Kyuubi somehow sealed himself off deep within his host, making it harder to access him, while Naruto poured all of his own chakra into maintaining the seal."

"Impossible," the Sand shinobi muttered quietly to himself, eyes narrowing in disbelief. He remembered all too well the agony of the separation ceremony. His own experience took him to the brink of death, and even pushed him over it for several minutes. For hours he laid in the hold of Akatsuki, suffering as waves of blinding pain wracked his body, unable to form even a coherent thought as the very fibers of his being were ripped apart.

And now Kakashi was telling him that Naruto had not only managed to resist this spell, but he had actually been able to ignore the pain and focus enough chakra to reinforce his seal while the ceremony proceeded? It was simply impossible.

And yet…

"Naruto is much stronger than people suspect. Even I, who considers him almost as a brother, am still uncertain of the true depths of his power."

Kakashi nodded solemnly at this statement, having realized the same thing himself several years earlier. "Hai, his endurance is truly astonishing. In the end, he withstood the extraction attempts for twice as long as any Jinchuriki before him, including you." He winced as the derogatory term slipped, knowing Naruto would be outraged if he were present. Fortunately the boy had been locked in his room all day, so Kakashi hurried on. "Tsunade doesn't think she'll ever figure out how his body survived that amount of stress."

"But the Kyuubi still resides inside him, which means that Uchiha must have reached him in time."

The light in Kakashi's eyes dimmed slightly, and a frown tugged at his hidden lips. "Oh yes," he replied softly, running one hand slowly through silver hair, "Sasuke definitely arrived on time. But even I could not have predicted what happened when he did."

* * *

Across town in his own spacious guest room, Sasuke's head tossed violently to the side as a familiar nightmare took hold of him. '_No, no, no!_' his mind cried desperately, but he already knew that there was no escape from this particular nightmare. 

After all, you can't escape the past.

* * *

**Three Years Ago…**

Orochimaru's scouts had delivered the news of Naruto's capture to their hideout earlier that morning. To Sasuke's infinite frustration, the blonde's name still caused certain strings in his heart to pull tightly, and he hadn't been able to keep his red eyes from narrowing slightly at the thought of his best friend…well, his _ex_-best friend, being tortured and killed.

'_It's your fault_,' the irritating voice in the back of his head whispered slyly, '_he would not be in this position if it were not for you._'

'_It's not my fault that baka got captured,_' Sasuke hissed angrily back, wondering faintly if arguing with the voices inside his head was a bad sign.

'_It **is** your fault_,' the persistent voice insisted. '_You know how strong he has become. Akatsuki would have never been able to capture him that easily unless he wanted them to, and the only reason he would have allowed it was to protect someone he cares about…like you._'

'_He is weak!' _The Uchiha mentally roared to himself, clenching his fists as his sharingan spun out of control._ 'He refuses to hate and thus he loses strength! His capture only proves the dobe's weakness!'_

Slamming a trembling fist into the wall, Sasuke cursed as the name left his lips.

After living for several months with Orochimaru, the youngest Uchiha had quickly discovered that the bonds between Naruto and himself were too painful to bear. However, no matter how hard he tried to sever them, for some reason it seemed impossible to harden his heart against the blonde. Something always held him back; the same something that had spurred him to jump in front of his friend during their battle with Haku; the same something that had stopped him from killing the other boy at The Valley of the End.

Unable to sever the bonds, Sasuke had resorted to alternative methods of banishing Naruto from his mind and heart. And "Rule Number One" was that never, under any circumstances, was the word "dobe" to be written, thought, and/or spoken in the Uchiha's presence.

Unfortunately, Sasuke had a bad habit of breaking "Rule Number One" on a regular basis.

However, for some unknown reason, as the forbidden word left his mouth, Sasuke's obstinate inner voice grew suddenly quiet. Left with his own brooding silence, the raven knew what his mind had told him was true. This _was_ his fault: Naruto had willingly sacrificed himself to Akatsuki for Sasuke's sake, and there was no point in denying this indisputable truth.

'_Save him!_' was the first ridiculous thought that flickered through his head, but even as he tried to hide the desperate temptation away, he found himself trapped in the all-knowing gaze of Orochimaru.

As if reading the raven's thoughts, glowing eyes narrowed angrily. However, the snake's lived expression suddenly transformed into a wicked grin. "Of course," he crooned slyly, eyes never leaving Sasuke's, "Akatsuki will be bringing in their esteemed member, Uchiha Itachi, to help with the demon's extraction." His smile widened even further.

He could actually see the curtain of darkness fall over Sasuke's features. All compassion and loyalty drained from the boy's face, replaced with the overpowering lust for blood and revenge.

If he couldn't break the bonds between his young apprentice and that boy, Orochimaru decided, he would simply have to break the boy. However, although he had come to this conclusion the moment he laid eyes on the demon, the dark Sennin had grown increasingly frustrated as the child's strength improved with frightening speed. The Kyuubi child seemed invincible, and despite his best efforts, Orochimaru had yet to find an easy way to dispose of him.

But today, the fates were smiling on him. Today, the one, tiny crack that existed in the boy's armor had fallen right into the snake's lap.

Like every other fool who relied on love and compassion for strength, the Kyuubi child's greatest strength would also prove to be his most vulnerable weakness. And Orochimaru knew first hand that when the boy's weakness was attacked, all of his worthless resolve would shatter.

Of course, reaching this weakness was no easy task. After all, a fool's heart was a sacred, guarded place, a fountain of endless strength for those who were allowed entrance, but a secure stronghold for those who carelessly attempted to attack it. For this reason, the destruction of a fool was usually an inside job.

However, as Orochimaru had already noticed, fate was smiling upon him today. Not only had his opponent's weakness fallen neatly into his lap, but the very tool of the boy's undoing, the tool that could eliminate all of his apprentice's distractions and assure his unwavering loyalty to the dark Sennin alone, also lay within his grasp.

By this week's end, Orochimaru would give his tool the order to strike.

By this week's end, Uchiha Sasuke would break his best friend's heart.

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_Mwahaha...that's right folks, it's ANOTHER CLIFF HANGER insert evil laughter...sorry couldn't help myself...aaaanyway, I hope you liked it. I apologize for Kakashi and Gaara's slight OOCness...I know neither of them are chatterbugs, but **somebody** has to give the back story! Keep the reviews coming please, and I promise the next chapter will be up soon!_


	11. A Past Revealed

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor: **I do not own Naruto

_Hello and welcome to all. I know this chapter is short, but that is the price you pay for such a speedy update. Anyway, I hope you like it!_

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**Three Years Ago…**

Sasuke approached the entrance of Akatsuki's hideout with caution, creeping forward silently as his senses strained to locate any nearby enemies. Despite his efforts, the forest remained still, the entrance unguarded, and the young Uchiha was noticing that his attempt at infiltration was being carried out with altogether too much ease.

Something was not right.

He had been surprised when Orochimaru had not only allowed, but _encouraged_ him to seek out Akatsuki, muttering something about the importance of tying up loose ends. Of course Sasuke had assured the older man that he was simply after his brother, but he was sure the snake could sense the other, suppressed motive that was lurking in the back corner of his mind…

Still, regardless of why he had been granted permission so close to "the day" as he had begun thinking of it, here he was, inching along the outer boundaries of the Akatsuki hideout, getting closer and closer to the entrance. As he approached the large opening that led into the underground lair, Sasuke felt excitement rise in his chest. '_You'll get to see **him** again!_' his mind whispered eagerly, but the young Uchiha was unsure of which "him" the voice was speaking of.

Although he had come on this mission heavily armed, prepared to face whatever obstacles Akatsuki placed in his path, Orochimaru's young apprentice had met no opposition worth mentioning. Not one member of the notorious group had moved to stop his advances, not one trap had been set to ensnare him as he entered the dismal cavern that served as Akatsuki's hideout.

It was almost as if...

At first Sasuke had suspected a scheme from Orochimaru, a plan to lure him into Akatsuki's hideout. This idea had quickly been dismissed however, as those bastards would never agree to work with the old snake…

He had also considered that Orochimaru was running the show himself, without any help. But he had been forced to dismiss this thought as well, since the dark Sennin's current body was in such poor condition that it was almost impossible for him to travel, let alone infiltrate his enemy's lair. Besides, the youngest Uchiha had already agreed to become the snake's new host and serve him faithfully: for what purpose would Orochimaru conspire against him?

Which brought Sasuke back to square one. What was going on? What was he missing?

Finally reaching the well-hidden entrance of the hideout, the young Uchiha peered warily down a dim, winding set of stone stairs: still not a soul in sight. Trying to repress a sigh of frustration, the raven squared his shoulders and began the lengthy trek down the crumbling staircase. '_Fine,_' he mentally ground out,_ 'if you won't come to me, then _I'll_ come to _you.'

He was so focused on the path before him, he never noticed the pair of eyes watching from behind him, or the flash of light glinting off large, circular glasses.

* * *

Naruto curled inward on himself, gritting his teeth so hard that his gums bled. Drawing his knees to his chest, he noticed that his battered body couldn't even feel the cold, rough rock it was laying on anymore. All it registered was pain, that horrible, mind-encompassing pain that was tearing at every joint of his body, every thread of his being.

How much longer could he hold out? How much time had passed since the ceremony began? Kakashi had once told him about the tortures he had experience while inside Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, and Naruto remembered shivering at the gruesome story. The idea of withstanding so much agony while have no conception of time had horrified him, and he couldn't believe that Kakashi had escaped without losing his sanity…well, what little sanity the old scarecrow had possessed to be begin with.

But now…now Naruto was beginning to understand exactly what his childhood sensei had spoken of. Now he was beginning to understand why one of the bravest warriors he knew had suddenly shrunk in on himself that night in the bar, his voice so low it was almost a whisper as he clutched his cup of sake.

'_Oh God, I'm going to lose my mind…how long…I can't…I-!'_

_'Kit!' _A loud, familiar voice boomed throughout his head suddenly, '_get a hold of yourself. Remember why we are here. Remember Sasuke._'

This message brought both a wave of relief as well as a completely new blast of pain, and Naruto bit his lip to keep from crying out, a sharp canine piercing completely through the tender tissue.

'_Shut up Kyuubi_,' he ground out, a scream forming in his throat followed closely by the urge to vomit, '_you make it worse when you surface!_'

The presence immediately retreated further back, staying connected by a single thread of orange charka knotted firmly to his blue. Missing the reassuring support but knowing separation was necessary for survival, the blonde grasped weakly at the glimpse of strength his inhabitant had offered him. "Sasuke…" he moaned, scrunching his eyes closed, '_…thank you, Kyuubi…_'

After that, time really _did_ start to blur. At first, the distortion bothered Naruto, and he rode out several more panic attacks that each lasted for indeterminate intervals of time. However, as the agony ripping through his being grew stronger and stronger, time became trivial, and the blonde stopped caring.

He was dimly aware of a black boot connecting hard with his face, followed swiftly by the distinct crunch of bones breaking. The pain seemed far away, inconsequential when compared to the fire the forbidden jutsu had lit within his veins. "Damned brat…stop resisting!" The words floated towards him as if coming through a fog, only half of them actually registering in his mind.

As his mind began to fracture, Naruto clutched desperately at the fragments, trying to hold them together with all his might. This was what he and Kyuubi had feared the most while planning their final tactic. The body was an object; it could be held together by chakra and sheer determination. But the mind…the mind was an entirely different matter, and if it shattered all would be lost.

The blonde fumbled for the questions Kyuubi and he and rehearsed specifically for this time. Funny, they had seemed so simple and yet were now so hard to recall. '_Wh-what…what is my name? Uzumaki Naruto…Where a-am I? Akatsuki's hideout…Why am I…why…? Sasuke.'_

_'Good boy. Again.'_ Naruto didn't even bother reprimanding Kyuubi for resurfacing; the fox was gone again almost instantaneously.

Trying to ignore the pain, which was about as easy as ignoring a stampede of rhinos headed in your direction, he searched for the questions again. '_What…Who am I? Uzumaki N-Naruto…' _A particularly violent wave of pain slammed into his stomach, tearing at his seal. '_W-Where am I? …Hell…I'm in Hell…' _Was that right? He couldn't remember anymore, but given his surroundings, it seemed logical. '_Why…Sasuke."_

'_Again._' This time his own voice commanded the repetition. "_Wh-Who am I? …Sasuke._' Wait…that couldn't be right…could it? It was the only name that came to mind, but somehow it just seemed…off. But what was his name? Who was he? The crack began to grow deeper.

Panic blossomed. '_Who am I? Who am I! Who…am…'_

"Naruto!"

_'…Ah yes, that's right…Naruto…I'm Naruto…'_ Naruto would have smiled smugly at this achievement had he been able to remember what a smile was. In the distance, someone was shaking a shoulder quite frantically. Strong arms gathered a frail body gently up, cradling a wary head in a warm lap.

"Naruto," the voice called, "Naruto!" Who was calling so desperately, and why wasn't the other person answering? Who was Naruto? The name sounded so familiar…All he wanted to do was sleep, but that voice sounded so desperate, so alone. He needed to help it.

Cracking an eye open, the blonde gazed up, not seeing anything through a haze of pain. Eyes, there were eyes. They were deep black, and very familiar, looking down in terror and horror. He wanted to know what they were seeing that scared them so much.

"Naruto," the voice called again more gently, a hand cupping his face carefully. There was that name again…it sounded so familiar…wait…his name…_his_ name was Naruto…which meant that person above him, that was…

"Sasuke…?"

Relief spread across worried features, and this time Naruto really did manage a weak smile, blood trickling from his mouth as it opened. "Naruto," his name sounded more like a sob tumbling out of Sasuke's lips, "hang on, just hang on. You are going to be alright, ok?"

"…kay." That voice was reviving him, cutting through the layers of pain induced fog. Agony still wracked his body, but his mind cleared as he was clutched tightly to a warm chest. Hope began bubbling in his heart, battling with the pain in his belly, and with it came the memories of his mission. "S-Sasuke, you have to-"

His question was cut off as the raven above him shushed him gently. "There's no time. We are leaving. Now." Strong arms slipped carefully under his shoulders and the crooks of his knees. However, just as he felt himself being lifted several inches, a new voice echoed darkly throughout the cavern.

"Good evening, Sasuke-kun. Fancy meeting _you_ here."

Naruto felt chills race down his spine as he recognized that voice, and he felt Sasuke slowly lower him back to the ground before turning to the newcomer.

Dark eyes narrowed dangerously, the red of the Sharingan bleeding into obsidian pools. "Kabuto," his monotone voice acknowledged, "what are you doing here."

The medical ninja adjusted his glasses with a smirk, raising one silver eyebrow mockingly. "I was sent by Orochimaru-sama. He was worried about you Sasuke-kun, and wanted me to give you a message."

Naruto felt the boy beside him stiffen at these words, and felt a whole new type of panic blossom in his heart as he felt Sasuke pulling farther and farther away from him.

"Well?" The raven snapped impatiently, biting down his own dread.

A slow smile crept across Kabuto's face. "Orochimaru-sama wishes to test your loyalty. He sent me to set the stage, clearing an easy path for you up until this point, and now presents you with a choice." The hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck rose in anticipation. "Simply put, it's him or Naruto-kun."

Sasuke felt as if someone had punched him in the gut, all the air leaving his lungs. "What?" He hissed.

"Allow me to explain. Orochimaru-sama has sensed the hesitation in your heart, and desires you become completely his in body, mind, _and_ soul. This is impossible while your soul remains connected to this…filth," he gestured to the orange-clad bundle in Sasuke's arms with disgust. "As a result, he gives you a choice. You may take this monster and flee back to the village you abandoned, living a life of exile and fear in your brother's shadow, or you can give yourself completely to Orochimaru, and avenge the lives of your clan."

"That's ridiculous! I have already sworn my allegiance to that bastard, what more can he want?" Sasuke's fingers dug painfully into Naruto's shoulders, holding onto the other boy in desperation. "What more does he want?" The last question had a hysterical ring to it.

"What he wants, Sasuke-kun, is proof. Proof of your loyalty. Otherwise, you are worthless to him, and without his help, you are powerless. This fact is indisputable and thus meaningless to argue. So choose: will it be the vengeance of your betrayed clan and the honor of your family, or will it be this pathetic, half-dead demon before you?"

Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes as he felt Sasuke move away from him, standing up to face Kabuto. Obsidian eyes lingered for a moment on cerulean, sadness, confusion, and desperation echoing in their depths, before they slowly pulled away, leaving the blonde feeling cold.

When Sasuke next opened his mouth, his voice was completely different. It carried a monotone quality, as if the raven had become a brainwashed drone. "What must I do?"

Kabuto's smile grew into a full-blown leer. "Oh, it's quite simple, Sasuke-kun. You see, several weeks ago, Orochimaru met with the head of Akatsuki. It seems that we have reached a stalemate, and are both in need of something in order to proceed with our respective plans. You see, we are each missing a key piece, but unfortunately those pieces only come as a set." He smirked in Naruto's direction. "It's either both of you or neither of you."

"What must I do?" The raven repeated the statement, his voice sounding as emotionless as before, but deep inside he already knew.

"Akatsuki and Orochimaru-sama reached an agreement. Akatsuki would help us eliminate the only obstacle preventing Orochimaru-sama from owning you completely, and in return we would deliver to them the elusive nine-tailed-fox."

"What must I-"

"What you must do, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto interrupted loudly, "is separate the container from the demon. The only thing that prevents Akatsuki from extracting it is a single thread of chakra formed by the Kyuubi that is feeding the boy strength. You alone have the power to break it."

For Sasuke, time stopped. No sound reached his ears; no air entered his lungs. He could faintly feel the cursed seal throbbing encouragingly through his shoulder, pumping the lust for power and revenge through his veins.

Betrayal. Orochimaru wanted betrayal, and not just any betrayal, but the ultimate one. The betrayal he had sworn never to commit as he staggered from the Valley of the End. The betrayal that had haunted his nightmares for the past three years, and would no doubt haunt him for the rest of his life if it was carried out.

His gaze met blue eyes that carried more sadness than he had ever witnessed, and suddenly he understood that Naruto already knew. The blonde had realized the horrible truth before Sasuke himself had. "Sasuke," a broken voice whispered, "please." But the plea was devoid of hope, and they both knew what was about to come.

A picture of his brother's face looming in his vision, Sasuke steeled his heart. Staring deep into those haunting azure orbs, he fell into them, his surroundings fading into black. Before him stood Naruto, giving off an ethereal glow, and tied around the boy's wrist was a single orange thread that headed off into the darkness, pulsating ever so slightly with power. The raven took a step forward, eyes glued to the string.

The whiskered boy before him watched him silently. Sasuke would never forget the anguish behind those eyes. And then, slowly, Naruto gathered a section of thread between his hands, pulled it tight, and took a step forward, offering it to the other boy without a resistance.

Sasuke felt tears well up behind his eyes as he took another step forward, his trembling hand reaching for the thread. '_Don't,_' a voice boomed from the darkness, '_Don't do it, you will regret it.'_

Another step forward'_I already do._' He now stood right before Naruto, their eyes locking for a moment of eternity, and in that second everything that could ever be said was understood.

'_Teme_.'

'_Dobe.'_

_'I love you.'_

_'I'm sorry.'_

Sasuke wasn't sure which sound would haunt him longer: the snapping of the thread, or the shattering of Naruto's heart, followed shortly by his own.

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_I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I anguished over this chapter for so long, trying to not make it corny and overly dramatic but at the same time needing a betrayal that would be enough to upset the unshakeable Naruto. I know it was sad, and that I owe you guys about twenty chapters of fluff to make up for it! Anyway, I hope you all still enjoyed it although it was a bit dark, and **please** send me some reviews and tell me what you thought! Keep an eye out for the next chapter!_


	12. The Master Plan

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor:** They are mine, all mine, mwahaha...ok, maybe not...

_Peeks fearfully out her window ... is it safe yet? Hehe, thanks for not killing me after the way I left that last chapter, and thank you all SO much for all the wonderful reviews I received, the input was great! As a reward, I wrote you guys an extra long chapter! (Well, it's longer than usual anyway). I tried my best to tie up all loose ends in this chapter and answer all questions, but if I miss any just ask! And now, without further ado..._

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**Three Years Ago…**

Sasuke hit his knees, violently vomiting the contents of his stomach on the ground next to him before collapsing against the dimly lit passageway's wall. Sweat and tears soaked his white face, and his entire body was trembling uncontrollably, shivers viciously wracking his frame almost like convulsions. Blood soaked his hands, stained his clothes, speckled his face, but the teen barely noticed it.

Bringing his shaking hands to his face, a sob escaped the raven's throat as he sagged further against the cold wall, curling in on himself. What had he done? What had he done…

But this question only sent unbidden flashes of images searing through his mind, the horrible truth still too fresh to confront. As his mind's eye watched in horror, the Uchiha saw a body crumble before him, folding in on itself and collapsing soundlessly in a lifeless pile by his feet. He saw azure eyes stare blankly from half-open lids, twin tear trails running down scarred cheeks. He saw a light snuffed out before his very eyes, by his own hands.

Sasuke convulsed before leaning over to retch once again.

What had he done?

Time blurred and slowed, the edges of his vision fuzzy. After staring in terror at Naruto's limp body, the raven had suddenly been overtaken by inescapable panic. He had to get away, away from this nightmarish reality, this place, Itachi, Orochimaru, Kabuto…he just had to get out of here. Now.

Eyes swiveling to the only immediate obstacle impeding his flight, chest heaving as hyperventilating lungs cried out of oxygen, Sasuke suddenly lurched forward, and after that…Sasuke wasn't sure what happened after that. All he knew is that he ran: he ran through hallways, through twists and turns, up stairs and through rooms, away from everything.

Away from Naruto.

He had finally collapsed, his mind still screaming to escape this horrible dream, his legs unable to continue any further. Now he sat, surrounded by puddles of his own vomit, suppressed tears finally fighting their way to the surface. He lay there against the wall, helplessly sobbing like a child as his world unraveled around him.

'_Oh God, what have I **done**!'_

And in that split second, his mind made a decision to end it, right then and there. He had lost everything, everyone that had ever meant anything to him. For the past three years he had believed that Itachi was the force that had kept him going. But he was wrong: it had been someone else.

Hand darting down to his weapons pouch, Sasuke's fingers reached desperately for a kunai…and found nothing. The pouch was empty. Confusion seeping into his scrambled thoughts, the boy struggled to remember why.

Obsidian eyes came to rest on blood-soaked hands. An image snapped into focus in his mind, a memory seeming to belong to someone else. _'Kabuto's blood,_' his inner voice supplied.

Oh.

Suddenly, the tears returned with a vengeance, and the Uchiha choked as the silent sobs prevented air from reaching his lungs. Orochimaru. Orochimaru had taken everything from him: his free will, his life, his precious person, and now even his way out.

Fury began to burn deep within his chest, and Sasuke's hand rose shakily to grasp at the cursed seal that stained the flesh of his shoulder and neck. As his fingers came into contact with the three ominous marks, disgust, rage, and anguish overflowed his senses, blinding him with their sheer force. Suddenly, his fingers clamped painfully around the seal, nails biting into the flesh hard enough to draw blood.

A cry of anguish and pain escaping his lips, and the raven tore at the flesh, reducing his shoulder to shreds. He no longer belonged to anyone or anything. Not to Orochimaru. Not to Itachi. Not even to revenge.

As darkness gathered at the edges of his vision, Sasuke gave in thankfully to blissful oblivion. Just before the sea of darkness swallowed him, a golden, smiling face flashed before him.

'_Only to you_.'

* * *

**Present…**

Gaara stood with his back to Kakashi, staring out his office's window without really seeing the view before him. His blood pounded in his temples, and deep inside, his heart clenched: something it seemed only capable of doing when Naruto was around.

"He betrayed him."

Kakashi sighed tiredly, studying the ceiling with feigned interest. "Naruto would never admit to it; he told Tsunade that he had overestimated his ability to resist Akatsuki's jutsu, and that Sasuke had arrived too late to do anything but watch." He paused for a moment, his voice growing very quiet. "But yes, yes he did."

Gaara digested the information slowly, his back still turned. "The Kyuubi still resides within him. How?"

"We arrived at the scene shortly after. Kabuto was lying dead on the floor with a kunai through his neck. It had obviously been a surprise attack: we found out later that Sasuke was responsible. The Uchiha was nowhere to be found. And Naruto…"

Kakashi trailed off, unwilling or perhaps unable to describe the boy's condition in any more detail. "When Tsunade and Jiraiya spotted him…well, the true power of the Legendary Sennin has been grossly underestimated in the past. Naruto is very precious to both of them, and to see him in such a state...together they almost single-handedly crushed all of Akatsuki in one fell swoop. The forbidden jutsu separating Kyuubi was ended along with their lives, incomplete and thus leaving the seal intact. Only a few of their members escaped, Itachi being one of them."

"And the other Uchiha?"

"We found him in one of the tunnels of the base, sitting against a wall and unconscious. His left shoulder was a mess; Tsunade thinks he was trying to rip Orochimaru's cursed seal off with his bare hands."

"He woke up on the return trip, and followed us back to Konoha willingly. Once we got there, he wouldn't budge from Naruto's side, even after reaching the hospital, and after three ANBU escorts were lying unconscious on the floor, Tsunade decided to let him be. He stood guard over Naruto for days, refusing to eat or speak. The moment Naruto opened his eyes, he marched straight into Tsunade's office and told her everything, including what he had done and where Orochimaru's was currently located. Jiraiya was dispatched several hours later."

Kakashi repressed a shiver as he remembered the look on the white-haired Sennin's face as he left the village. Never had he felt such a deadly aura radiate off a human being, even Orochimaru, and it was something he hoped to never experience again. He hadn't been surprised in the slightest when the frog hermit returned exactly one month later, walked straight into Tsunade's office, and told her the matter was settled. The bonds of old friendships are strong, but evidently the bonds with certain young apprentices are stronger (1).

His story complete, the jounin straightened slowly, rolling the kinks from his shoulders as he opened the door that led into the hallway. Before leaving, he glanced over his shoulder at the rigid figure by the window, his exposed eye narrowing slightly. "Kazekage-sama," he spoke respectfully, returning to the formal conduct usually used during missions of this nature, "if I may leave you with one final point to consider?"

The redheaded leader of Sand turned slowly, almost regally, to face Kakashi, and after studying the older man for a moment, he nodded once in agreement.

Kakashi spoke over his shoulder, his words emotionless and calm. "I am aware that you dislike the Uchiha, but you of all people should understand the pain of one's past sins, as well as the possibility for redemption. Sasuke has repented, and no one condemns his actions with more passion and loathing than he himself does. If you truly wish to help Naruto, you will bear this in mind."

* * *

"Naruto?" The knocking on the door increased a fraction in its urgency. "Naruto, you haven't eaten or spoken _once_ in the past twenty four hours. You have to come out _some_ time." 

The bundle of blankets on the bed did not respond or even stir.

The knocking got even louder, causing the door to rattle slightly. "Naruto, I mean it! You can't sulk in there forever." No answer. "You open this door right now or I'll knock it down!"

Sakura swiped at a strand of hair on her face, tucking it behind an ear as her frustration and worry grew. Still receiving no answer, the medical kunoichi puffed out her chest indignantly and pulled a fist back, fully intending to make good on her threat.

"Morning, Sakura," the cheery voice of her sensei greeted her from behind. Sparing the man an exasperated look over her shoulder, the girl rolled her eyes endearingly at the sight of him with his nose buried in a copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_.

"Ohayo, Sensei!" The response was reflexive, and she couldn't quite repress the smile that pulled at her mouth.

"Problems?" There was a twinkle of merriment in his one exposed eye.

Sakura finally allowed the smile to spread fully across her face, an overly innocent and toothy grin flashing. "Oh _no_, Sensei, everything is just _fine_. I'm just wishing Naruto a good morning." She paused, a slightly evil and terrifying aura flashing around her that reminded Kakashi strongly of Tsunade. "Everything is under control."

"Glad to hear it," the jounin nodded as he continued his morning stroll, still intently focused on his book. As he rounded the corner, he had to stifle a chuckle as the crash of a door being broken-in followed by a startled yell reached his ears.

'_Kids_.'

* * *

"Come on sleepy head. Get dressed, we are going on a walk." Sakura squinted through the inky darkness of Naruto's room, his initial indignant shout her only clue to his location. 

A lump on the bed grunted, staring at her suspiciously from a makeshift cloak of blankets. "…don't wanna" it mumbled grumpily.

Her patience running thin, Sakura drew on what she believed to be the most useful skills learned through training with Tsunade. Gathering an atmosphere of impending doom around her, the kunoichi took several steps forward, ripping off the blonde's cocoon of blankets with a flourish. "Funny," her voice dripped dangerously with sarcasm, "I don't remember that being a request."

She had to hand it to the kid; she had seen many reactions to the Fifth's power of intimidation, ranging anywhere from terror to embarrassment, but the boy before her didn't seem to even be fazed. He glanced up her, calculating the easiest way to rid himself of her nagging, and finally settled on a childish pout.

"I'm tired, Sakura-chan, and I'm not feeling well. Maybe some other time." He reached forward to reclaim his blankets from his pink haired friend, but she refused to relinquish her grip.

"Naruto, seriously, I'm worried about you. I think we should talk about this."

All childishness and humor left the blonde's face, replaced by an annoyed and weary shadow. "Sakura," he spoke lowly, and the medical nin was struck by how odd her name sounded from his mouth when no playful "chan" was attached, "_Seriously_, I think you should mind your own damn business. You don't understand, and I don't want to discuss it. Not now, not ever."

The coldness and bitterness of his words cut Sakura deeply, and she backed away towards the door as if her face had been slapped. Turning away from her friend, she tried to repress her rising tears.

"Alright," she whispered softly, "I'm sorry. I'll just leave you alone."

Naruto watched as she started to leave, guilt pulling at his heart as his angry words echoed through his mind. He had regretted them the moment they left his mouth, and now, seeing Sakura so hurt and upset…

"Sakura," he called suddenly, a level of desperation and apology ringing clearly in his plea, "Sakura-chan, wait. I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Give me a minute to change; I could use some fresh air, and a walk sounds great."

As she heard the mattress creak and the blond begin to shuffle around in search of a clean shirt, Sakura hid a small smile as she sniffled delicately and wiped at a fake tear. '_Ha! Works every time…'_

Naruto joined her in the hall several minutes later, clad in his usual orange pants and a black tank top. Seeing her questioning look at the lack of his usual jacket, he raised an eyebrow challengingly. "What? It's hot out here."

The childhood friends strolled lazily through the village in comfortable silence, taking in the bustling atmosphere of the bazaar and perusing several stands of various goods. The sun was shining bright and hot, but not unpleasantly so, and a cool breeze pulled playfully at their hair.

While examining at a mysterious clump of dried medicinal herbs, Sakura studied the boy beside her out of the corner of her eye. Naruto was looking to the sky, his gold curls gleaming in the desert sun. His calloused fingers played gently with the necklace around his neck, and his look was pensive. Suddenly noticing he was being watched, he glanced down and met Sakura's gaze, smiling sheepishly and putting one arm behind his head. For an instant Sakura was reminded of the innocent boy from her childhood, and was struck by a sudden sadness at how much Naruto had grown up.

Returning his smile easily, Sakura paid the vender for the leaves and tucked them securely away in her pouch for further inspection before turning fully to Naruto. "I'm getting hungry, what do you say we find someplace to eat?"

Laughing cheerfully, the blond threw an arm around her shoulders, eyes dancing happily. "I thought you'd never ask! Come on," he began steering her down a side street, "I know a really good sushi place right down the street..."

* * *

An hour later, Naruto finally put his chopsticks down with a contented sigh, appreciatively surveying the large stack of bowls before him. Sakura sat beside him, shaking her head in disbelief at how much her friend could eat. 

Rolling her eyes, she twirled her own chopsticks lazily in the remaining ramen broth of her bowl. As it turned out, the "sushi place right down the street" Naruto remembered from his last visit had been nowhere to be found. The blonde had vehemently insisted that the allusive shop must be "just around the corner", and then "only one block over there". In the end, her hopeless tour guide had been sidetracked from his search by a brightly colored stand with a large banner bragging that it was the house of the best ramen ever. Quick to defend the reputation of his beloved Ichiraku ramen, the blonde insisted they go in…for research's sake. Watching her friend happily rub his ridiculously bloated stomach, Sakura began to suspect that he had planned this detour all along.

"See, Sakura-chan?" Naruto chirped happily, suppressing a burp, "I told you it wasn't possible. There is just no point in trying to compete with Ichiraku." He glared at the offending banner, tsking softly to himself as his hand trailed unconsciously towards his kunai pouch.

"Don't even think about it," Sakura scolded, her own hand darting out to smack his away. "It's not hurting anyone, and I am not about to sit here and watch as you merrily cut down innocent people's decorations."

The Kyuubi's container sputtered indignantly, drawing himself up with a righteous air. "Not _hurting_ anyone? These are blatant lies! False advertisements! The people of this village have to know! The truth must be…" He trailed off as he noticed the vein throbbing on his friend's forehead. Gulping nervously, he raised his hands in surrender, backing down meekly. "T-then again, I supposed the truth can sometimes be…overrated…"

Crossing her arms, Sakura maintained her death glare until she was positive Naruto wasn't actually going to make a break for it and lunge at the banner (after all, it wouldn't be the _first_ time it had happened…). Finally satisfied, she took a deep breath and decided to broach the subject she had been steadily working up to for the past hour.

"Speaking of the truth, wha-"

"Naruto!" Sakura shut her mouth with a snap, eyes narrowing at the intruder. The blonde in question spun on his stool to face the newcomer, his face breaking into a huge grin when he saw who it was. Jumping up, he stepped forward to wrap the Sand ninja in a warm hug.

"Temari!" He playfully picked up the fan-wielding kunoichi and spun her in a circle, ignoring her indignant yell of protest, before setting her carefully back down and wincing as her fist hit his arm hard enough to bruise.

"Listen runt, just because you're buddy-buddy with my brother doesn't mean _we_ are best friends." The tall girl towered over him, a scowl on her face and a large fan slung over one shoulder, before the corner of her mouth quirked upward and her tough-guy act dissolved. "But I _did_ miss you. Kankuro did too. How's Konoha?"

"Oh you know, same old same old. Everything is going good," he returned lazily, hooking his thumbs in his belt loop. As an afterthought, he grinned and waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. "Shikamaru has been doing really good, too. Lazy bastard said he might be taking a trip out here soon."

"Oh _wonderful_, we'll get to listen to Konoha's _finest_ complain about everything under the sun." The older shinobi rolled her eyes in disgust, but Naruto could tell the news secretly pleased her.

"Right, right, like I said, lazy bastard." He smiled cheekily at her almost unnoticeable blush. "So, what brings you out into town anyway?"

Temari tried to hide her scowl at his grin: he was _quite_ the perceptive little brat…shaking her head she focused on his question. "Actually, _you_ are what brings me out here. Gaara sent me out to find you, says he has something to talk to you about."

"Ah, well, can't keep old raccoon eyes waiting, now can we?" He lowered his voice to an exaggerated whisper, bringing one hand to his mouth conspiratorially, "I hear he gets cranky." Sniggering gleefully to himself, Naruto turned to Sakura, who had watched the whole exchange impassively.

"Well, gotta go Sakura-chan." He gave her a friendly peck on the cheek before running off into the crowd, tossing a cheerful, "thanks for lunch," over his shoulder.

Naruto weaved carefully throughout the crowd until he could no longer feel them watching his back worriedly, heaving a sigh of relief. Thank Kami for Temari: Sakura was good at making him open up about things he normally didn't share, but this was one matter he didn't want to discuss with her. She just couldn't understand. Shaking his head, he continued towards the Kazekage's tower.

Meanwhile, Sakura sighed in frustration as she put some money on the counter to pay for the ramen. Heading back towards the bazaar, she looked over her shoulder at Temari, trying not to glare. "_Impeccable_ timing, Temari."

The blonde kunoichi snorted in amusement as she fell into step with the other girl, reflecting on her interruption. "Well how was _I_ supposed to know?"

"Well honestly Temari, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to come at _all_."

The pink-haired young woman shook her head in disgust: she wasn't upset that the Sand kunoichi had interrupted her just as she was about to interrogate Naruto (after all, that _had_ been part of the master plan all along.) No, what was causing the med nin to angrily grind her teeth was the fact that Temari had waited so long to give the signal: ramen was expensive damnit!

"Like I said, how was _I_ supposed to know he could eat that much? I was just waiting until you were two were done."

"Naruto is _never_ done," Sakura groused, quickening her pace in irritation, "It's going to take my wallet _weeks_ to recover.

"Hey, don't complain to me: it was _your_ idea. You should have foreseen the consequences of luring him out to lunch."

Green eyes narrowed momentarily, before a mischievous grin crept over Sakura's delicate features. "You're right Temari," she crooned sweetly. "After all, we can't _all_ be strategic geniuses like your secret lover."

To her immense satisfaction, the other kunoichi choked, sputtered, and finally lost her hopeless battle with the blush that was flaming across her cheeks.

* * *

Kakashi's midmorning stroll came to a halt as he finally reached his destination. Snapping his trashy novel closed with a twinge of disappointment, the jounin squared his shoulders (well, as square as his shoulders went…Kakashi wasn't one to stand up straight, regardless of the circumstances) and examined the door before him knowingly.

'_There's one…_' he smirked to himself, '_two…_' his eyes dipped to the lowest hinge of the door '_and three._ _Really Sasuke, I was suspecting a little more creativity from a man of your caliber_.' The older shinobi shook his head in disappointment as he counted off the traps he had spotted on the door, reaching to test the doorknob.

He had to suppress a most undignified yelp of pain and surprise when a surge of electricity went racing up his arm, leaving it tingling and slightly numb. Wincing, Kakashi rolled his abused appendage, grinning despite himself in appreciation of his old apprentice's handiwork. '_Now **that's** more like it._'

Always eager for a challenge, the silver haired man launched his attack, locating the door's weak point (being extra careful to avoid all metallic or current-carrying surfaces) and applied pressure, pleased as the door swung easily and silently open. Not _everyone_ could be as flashy as Sakura, after all.

Taking a cautious step into the dark room, Kakashi lazily ducked down and to the right, easily avoiding a barrage of kunai, only to find himself having to jump as a wave of precision-aimed shuriken imbedded themselves into the space he had just been occupying. The last throwing star was accompanied by a hastily scrawled note.

"DO NOT DISTRUB."

Kakashi snorted at this, taking another step forward while simultaneously catching yet another kunai aimed at his head. Calmly untangling the second message from the exploding tag, the jounin carelessly tossed the kunai out a nearby window, ignoring the ground-shaking explosion that followed shortly after as he squinted to read the note in the dim light.

"KAKASHI, THIS MEANS YOU."

Rolling his eyes, the jounin pulled out his orange romance novel again, strolling over to lean against the bed. As he carelessly flipped a page, he repressed an amused smile as murderous eyes bore holes into his body, easily picturing the blood red fury swirling in their depths.

After flipping two more pages, the sliver haired shinobi sensed that his student's patience had reached its limit. Purposefully closing the novel with a snap, marking his page with one of the raven's angry notes, he tucked it securely away in a pocket before finally turning to face the room's other inhabitant, his face a mask of surprise.

"Why Sasuke, _this_ is a surprise. I hadn't the faintest idea you were here." He smiled sweetly, though he knew the boy couldn't see it through his mask. "What can I do for you?"

The figure before him seemed to slowly materialize from the shadows, a murderous intent flowing from his very being. First crimson eyes glared out, followed closely by a black outline and a pale face, a dangerous scowl clearly visible on its features.

"Leave," an icy voice ground out, barely contained rage simmering underneath.

"Leave? But I just got here." Kakashi placed his thumbs in his pockets, slouching back and giving the raven an innocent glance.

"DAMN IT KAKASHI, I SAID LEAVE!" The older man had to work hard not to wince as the last strand of restraint inside the Uchiha snapped, unleashing his furious temper. Sasuke was like a wild predator: normally he was calm and collect, but when backed into a corner, he became vicious and deadly. The brunette did not enjoy people prying into his personal feelings, and Kakashi could sense that behind that violent anger lurked several stronger, desperate emotions.

With this in mind, the man felt his eyes soften a bit, and his voice remained calm and soothing. "Alright, I'll leave." He gave the boy a hard look, "But you're coming with me."

Murderous eyes narrowed further. "The hell I am. I have nothing to say to you or anyone else, and I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Oh you'll listen," Kakashi straightened up and walked over to the boy, his eyes strong and challenging, his voice finally serious, "or I will send a top priority message to Tsunade requesting she remove you from this mission on the grounds that you are emotionally unstable."

"You'd resort to lying?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry Sasuke, would you prefer I tell her the truth of the situation? Either way, you'll be ordered to return home so fast your head will spin." Kakashi gave a moment for the truth of this threat to sink in before continuing. "More importantly, if you aren't listening, then I guess I can't tell you about the fact that your boyfriend, whose emotions are at present extremely vulnerable, is currently having a _private_ meeting with Gaara." Obsidian eyes narrowed and a stoic jaw muscle twitched. "I also won't be able to help you figure out how to intervene."

The Uchiha went completely still, and after a full minute Kakashi began to worry that the boy had stopped breathing. Suddenly, the raven marched to his bed, picked up his kunai holster and fastened its securely to his leg, and stalked purposefully out of the room into the hall. Looking over his shoulder impatiently, his eyes locked with Kakashi's.

"Well, are we going or what?"

_(1) I briefly considered letting Naruto or Sasuke kill Orochimaru, but I decided that having Jiraiya end it was probably the most fitting due to their past friendship._

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_**(1) I briefly considered letting Naruto or Sasuke kill Orochimaru, but I decided that having Jiraiya end it was probably the most fitting due to their past friendship.**_

_End of chapter, phew! I tried my best to lighten the mood a bit and to not leave it on such a cliff hanger this time! The next chapter will probably be up around Christmas time, so keep an eye out. Looking forward to hearing what you guys thought of this one!_


	13. Rebuilding Bridges

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing! cries softly

_Alright, so in return for all of your patience, and as an early Christmas gift, I give you a chapter_ _of reconciliation and fluff! Enjoy, and happy holidays!_

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Sasuke had to repress the urge to roll his eyes _again_. Kakashi had gone on and on about his great scheme for interrupting Naruto and Gaara's meeting, a surefire, can't miss plan of attack. Now, as they stood before the Kazekage's office door, the jounin rocked back on his heels, obviously pleased with himself and the master plan that had finally been revealed.

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "…So we're going to…knock?"

Kakashi nodded enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together with glee. "Brilliant, isn't it," he asked eagerly, eye glinting with excitement, "They'll never see it coming."

Unable to suppress it any longer, the Uchiha allowed his brown eyes to take their all-too-familiar trip around their sockets.

Imbeciles: he was surrounded by them.

The silver haired man was either oblivious to his student's disdain or just chose to pointedly ignore it. Regardless, he raised a gloved hand and knocked deliberately on the door. While waiting for a response, he bounced on the balls of his feet with childlike enthusiasm, knowing it would annoy the stoic boy beside him to no end.

Dark eyes rolled again, and Kakashi had to repress a grin. That was four times in twenty minutes: a personal best.

"Enter." The emotionless acknowledgement interrupted the jounin as he contemplated further ways of annoying his pupil. Unable to hold back his slight disappointment, Kakashi obediently pushed open the heavy door and ushered the raven in.

'_Who-?_' Sasuke's head snapped up at Naruto's mental curiosity, meeting the cerulean eyes that had been haunting his every thought and dream for the past twenty four hours. As if in a trance, the Uchiha slowly walked into the office, halting as he reached its center. However, after briefly widening in surprise, the blue eyes snapped away, the familiar mental door slamming in his face.

"Gaara," a stiff voice ground of softly, "what the hell is this?"

Dramatic green eyes spared the blonde a look that suspiciously resembled sympathy before forcing his face to become cold and uncaring once more. Walking calmly to join Kakashi in the doorway, the redhead turned to face Naruto, wincing at the betrayal that flashed across the other boy's face.

"It would seem," he said softly, his voice begging Naruto to understand he was doing this for his own good, while at the same time leaving no room for argument, "that you two have some things to discuss." Raising a hand, the leader of Sand effectively cut off both protests instantaneously, "Do not be concerned: Kakashi and I will make certain that you are not disturbed until _everything_ has been sorted out."

With that, the redhead raised a hand in front of him, closed his eyes in concentration, and deliberately curled his outstretched fingers into a fist.

'_He's gonna-!'_

Sasuke saw, heard, and felt the sudden realization shoot through Naruto's being, but his own body was already in frantic motion, bolting for the pair of shinobi at the door. However, just as his fingers reached out to touch the exit, a wall of sand swelled dramatically, completely encompassing the floor, walls, ceiling, windows, and doors.

The last thing he saw of the outside world was his sensei's smug, smiling face. "Try not to kill each other."

Then they were alone.

* * *

"What do you think the chances of us breaking through that sand with Rasengan and Chidori are?" 

In reply to Naruto's question, sand began to lift from the floor, adding to the walls and allowing them to grow even thicker and denser with a resolute _crunch._

"…Not good."

Heaving a sigh of frustration, the blonde walked miserably around Gaara's desk and flopped heavily into the Kazekage's chair, resting his feet on top of one of the mountains of paperwork that adorned the Sand nin's desk.

Finally giving up his hopeless search for cracks or weaknesses in their sandy prison, Sasuke walked over to join the blonde, sitting in one of the seats on the opposite side of the desk. He opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off mentally by a tired voice.

'_Save it Sasuke, it's all been said, we've been through this all before._' Snapping his mouth closed, the raven obeyed, allowing silence to stretch achingly between them, tension thick in the air.

However, as the minutes dragged by with agonizing slowness, the boy found he could bare the quiet no longer. "So…" The Uchiha winced as the word left his mouth. '_**Brilliant** opener; truly eloquent_.'

He was unsure whose mind supplied the sarcasm: they were both probably thinking it.

However, to the raven's surprise, his dismal attempt at conversation seemed to be all Naruto needed. Wandering azure eyes finally snapped forward to meet his, the gaze intent and searching, the face for once completely serious. Then something cracked.

"So _what_, Sasuke? So we are stuck together in this god-forsaken room together? So every god damned person in the country of Sand decided to form a conspiracy to get us in here? So history is repeating itself, maniacs are trying to kill me again, and I can't even trust my…" he struggled for a moment, debating which word was the safest to use, "…my best _friend_ to be there for me? Tell me, Sasuke, so the hell _WHAT_?"

The raven sat submissively before the blonde, accepting the hysterical tirade with his head bowed, heart clenching painfully. He would gladly sit here and take everything Naruto could throw at him, all the anger and anguish that lay beneath the blonde's surface. After all, he deserved it and ten times more.

Aware that Naruto was actually waiting for an answer, Sasuke forced his lips to move, his voice coming out as barely a whisper. "So nothing, Naruto. You're right."

But this submissiveness only seemed to fuel the younger boy's rage. "Your damn _straight_ I'm right! I _trusted_ you, I _cared _about you, and you…you…" The voice trailed off, running out of steam as Naruto slipped dangerously close to succumbing to tears.

Feeling tears prick his own eyes, Sasuke swallowed at the knot in his throat, trying to choke out the words he so desperately wished could be enough. "I'm sorry."  
But of course they never would be.

Silence surrounded them once again, and as Sasuke watched, Naruto seemed to deflate, all anger and bitterness draining out of him and leaving him slumped forward on the desk, head in hands. His voice was tired, his movements weary. "I know," he spoke softly, the only emotion left being supreme sadness.

Sasuke almost preferred the anger.

"I know you're sorry, Sasuke. I know you've sworn it up and down to dozens of people, that you've stuck by my side for the past three years with unwavering loyalty, but…" he choked a bit, eyes once again catching Sasuke's, and the Uchiha's heart almost shattered at the pain he saw reflected in their depths. "But you…I…I _trusted_ you, Sasuke. Everyone told me that I was a fool, that I should just let you go, but I couldn't. I…I had promised Sakura…I had promised _myself_. I gave up _everything_ for you, and you…y-you…you hurt me." The last sentence carried no anger, no accusation. It was a statement, tired and emotionless.

And there it was, all out in the open, everything that could possibly be said on the matter. This was not an argument; there was no question of guilt or innocence. This was their reality, the indisputable truths that had lurked in their minds and hearts for the past three years.

Finding the ever-growing distance between them unbearable, Sasuke suddenly found himself moving to stand behind Naruto, his arms wrapping around the other boy's shoulders. He was no longer worried about being shook off or denied: the anger was gone. Naruto had absolved him of his sins years ago, forgiving him within weeks of the actual incident. Unfortunately, while forgiveness could be given consciously and easily, especially by Naruto, trust was an entirely different matter.

Exhausted and emotionally drained, Naruto closed his eyes, his hands coming up to hold onto the pale arms that were wrapped around him. Truthfully, the blonde wasn't sure why he had reacted so violently to Itachi's name, or why his heart kept insisting on bringing up an incident his mind had dismissed years ago. He didn't know what he wanted, what he needed, but he was pretty sure Sasuke was the only one who could give it to him.

Funny how the glue that holds your universe together is sometimes the very thing that sent it shattering into a million pieces in the first place.

"What do we do now?" Sasuke murmured softly into the crook of his neck, his warm breath bringing Naruto back from his musings.

Pondering for a moment, the blonde sighed and leaned further back into the raven's comforting embrace. "I'm not sure," he finally concluded, head tilting so their cheeks touched, "But from now on, we do it together."

* * *

Sakura stopped short as she strolled down the street, observing the sight before her with mild disbelief but infinite glee. Noticing Kakashi had appeared beside her, watching the scene casually with hands in pockets, the kunoichi turned slightly to face him. "What happened?" 

A flicker of frustration flashed over her old teacher's face, his single eye narrowing irritably. "I have no idea."

"But I thought you were there?" After years of listening to incessant bickering, fighting, and overall drama, the second half of Team Seven had become experts in dealing with their somewhat less…cooperative teammates. Sakura and Kakashi had stealthily conspired together for many an hour, creating an extensive list of meticulous plans in order to repair the endless damage Naruto and Sasuke inflicted on one another physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Never in her life had Sakura encountered two souls that were so dependant on one another for survival, but at the same time so hell-bent on carelessly destroying one another.

Needless to say, she and her sensei had become seasoned in the art of scheming and spying, developing their skills far past those of the average shinobi. They did not understand their targets' minds as well as they understood how the two enigmas interacted with and affected one another. They had tried to discreetly share this understanding with Naruto and Sasuke themselves at an early age, but had been eventually forced to give up trying. Sasuke's three-year excursion to the "dark side" had finally forced Sakura and Kakashi to accept the pathetic fact that not only were their two morons incapable of simple communication skills; they were completely incompetent at running their own affairs.

So naturally, unbeknownst to the two hopeless boys, their teammates had _selflessly_ stepped forward and taken over, and had been successfully and secretly mediating their relationship for almost three years now. It was hard work, but someone had to do it.

Which, of course was what was distressing Sakura so much. Their plan had been flawless: she had lured out Naruto with the help of Temari, Kakashi had given Sasuke a helpful shove with the aid of Gaara, and the two boys had been carefully herded into a situation where healthy communication had _literally_ been inescapable. Kakashi had been left on the scene as recon, his mission to collect data that may prove useful in future missions and to intervene should negotiations go south and the two parties resort to violence.

"What do you _mean_ you have no idea? It was easy recon!"

"Our foreign aid went turncoat on us." Kakashi crossed his arms grumpily. Noticing his companion's questioning look, he elaborated exasperatedly. "Gaara did something to the walls, enforced them somehow, and made them completely sound proof. I couldn't hear a single word of it. He said we should respect their _privacy_."

"Damn," the pink haired woman swore under her breath, "a standard rookie's mistake."

Kakashi nodded his agreement vehemently. Still, as he watched the amusing display before him, the jounin couldn't prevent a small smile from spreading across his face.

A few minutes ago, Naruto had been seated in the branches of a large tree at the outskirts of the village, a rarity in the Country of Sand. His eyes scanned a scroll intently, with Sasuke peacefully mirroring his actions on the ground below, the brunette's back resting against the tree's large trunk.

Something had accidentally slipped from the blonde's pocket, fluttering down to land beside the pale boy below. Jumping gracefully to the ground, Naruto reached to retrieve it, but was sidetracked as his hand brushed softly against Sasuke's side, causing the other boy to stiffen strangely.

Cerulean eyes narrowed suspiciously before realization suddenly dawned, a slow, evil grin creeping across his face.

Sasuke never had a chance.

Recognizing the mischievous glint in his friend's eyes, the Uchiha repressed the wave of panic that crept up his spine, as well as the shiver of dread (…or was it excitement?) that shook his frame upon the realization of what was about to happen. Trying to hold off the inevitable, he straightened sharply and began to scoot quickly backwards, only to find his escape route effectively blocked by the trunk of the tree. "Naruto," he ground out warningly, eyes narrowing dangerously, "don't you da-"

But of course, his threat was never completed, cut off by his own poorly suppressed shout of laughter as he hopelessly tried to squirm away from his friend's attack.

"What's this," the blonde smirked coyly, canines reflecting the sun with an almost predatory glint as his fingers continuing their onslaught mercilessly, "The great Uchiha is _ticklish_?"

"S-s-stop it," Sasuke gasped indignantly, wriggling for all he was worth as his giggles grew to peals of laughter. "S-STOP!" His threatening commands, which were quickly dissolving into desperate pleas, were predictably ignored as the other boy moved to sit on top of him, effectively pinning him to the ground and gaining still more access to sensitive skin as the raven's body writhed helplessly beneath him.

With one hand, Naruto finally managed to capture Sasuke's flailing arms as they clawed and punched uselessly at there attacker, and, holding them firmly at the wrists, he pinned them securely over the other boy's head. He was immensely enjoying having the older shinobi at his mercy for once, and couldn't help but to chuckle as he not only heard but felt the Uchiha's undignified shrieks of combined fury and laughter as they vibrated through his chest and up Naruto's legs.

Using his free hand, Naruto switched tactics, moving his wriggling digits up from Sasuke's side and towards the raven's pale neck. His fingers had barely brushed his friend's skin before the other boy suddenly bucked, legs thrashing as he squirmed desperately to the side. "D-DOBE! I'm going to _K-KILL_…" the murderous screech trailed of as the Uchiha once again failed to bring enough oxygen into his quaking lungs.

However, as he felt the mischievous hands retreat from his _very_ sensitive neck, only to begin trailing lower, desperation…among other things…blossomed anew his lower abdomen. Was he not a Uchiha? Had he no pride? His hips shot upward again as a finger brushed over another sensitive spot.

'_Have you no shame?_' a coy, helpful voice supplied, and Sasuke felt Naruto file the newest "sweet spot" away for future use with a great deal of smugness.

'_That's it._'

With one last valiant display of effort, the Uchiha finally managed intertwine a leg with Naruto's. Locking himself into place, the raven lurched his body to the right and, using the momentum, finally succeeded in rolling over and reversing their positions.

He was now seated on a slightly surprised though not entirely disappointed Naruto.

Cerulean eyes swiveled about, taking in their new surroundings quickly before flickering upward to meet dark, obsidian ones. After a few experimental twists, he accepted the fact that he wasn't going anywhere soon. "Well," he drawled calmly, "this is a change in plans."

Finally catching his breath and regaining composure, Sasuke leered wickedly down at his new prey. "You," he ground out, "are a dead dobe."

Naruto at last seemed to grasp the gravity of his new situation, and attempted to weakly reconcile with the gorgeous, if not exactly mentally stable being on top of him. "Aw come on, Sasuke," he pouted for effect, "I didn't mean it."

"Oh, I think you did."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

'_Did too,' _rumbled an amused third party.

_'Kyuubi, you are **not** helping!'_

However, the blonde's internal debate was interrupted as pale hands descended ominously. Eyes widening in horror, Naruto struggled futilely, his string of curses and desperate pleas landing on deaf ears. When Sasuke's hands finally reached the overly sensitive Kyuubi seal, fingers wriggling deviously as they slowly traced the spiral, all coherent thought left the younger boy. A thousand nerve endings exploding simultaneously, Naruto's mind shut down, his lips opened in a bloodcurdling shriek of laughter, and the knot in his heart finally began to loosen.

* * *

As Sakura watched the scene play out, she felt her own smile grow and her eyes roll endearingly. "I'd kill them, you know," she confided in Kakashi softly, "if only they weren't so damn adorable."

The silver-haired spared her a sympathizing glance, knowing exactly how she felt.

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_Yay for fluff! As fun as it is to read, I think it might be even more fun to write! Anyway, I hope you guys liked it (and that the mob of angry readers is appeased for now). **Please Review!!!** I left you on a good note for the holidays, but the plot/chaos will be continuing after Christmas! Enjoy the peace while it lasts, mwahaha..._


	14. Tortures and Teasing

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Do I even have to say it anymore...?

_Sorry about the wait, and I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! I know **I **was busy. Anyway, here is the next chapter, you know the drill, read, review, and please enjoy!_

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Are you aware of how difficult it is to focus on a debriefing when your boyfriend is sitting across from you, coyly nibbling on the end of a pencil while telepathically sending you images of all the parts of your body he believes that writing utensil could represent?

Naruto squirmed in his seat, tearing his eyes away once _again_ from the wicked site before him. Trying hopelessly to focus his attention on what Kankuro was saying, the blonde pointedly ignored the older boy sitting across from him.

"…were located here, here, and here. In return, Sand will be assigning patrols to…" The puppet master's voice droned on endlessly, but Naruto fought hard to hang onto every word. He felt a twinge of annoyance tug at the edges of his mind, the raven displeased that his newest favorite pastime was being ignored.

Finally deciding that more drastic measures were required, Sasuke set a new, more…interesting wave of images through their mental link.

Naruto suddenly choked and began to cough violently, springing to his feet as his cheeks burned a brilliant shade of red. Sasuke wasn't sure if it was due to a lack of oxygen or sheer embarrassment.

'_Probably a combination of both._'

'_Bastard_!' Naruto silently glared daggers at him as Sakura thumped his back worriedly, unsure of what had caused his sudden outburst.

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow questioningly at the interruption. "Everything ok, Uzumaki?"

The blonde shinobi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his blush deepening slightly. "Ah, yeah, everything is good." He fidgeted under Gaara's blank stare for a moment, unable to bare the awkward silence, "Um…how are you?" He finished lamely.

Sasuke sniggered, ignoring the mental curses Naruto was firing at him murderously.

The redheaded leader of Sand blinked slowly, looking at his friend as if he had lost his mind. "I'm fine, thank you. Would you mind if we got back to the meeting now?"

"Heh heh, yeah, sure thing. Go ahead Kankuro, sorry 'bout that…" Naruto mumbled, sinking back into silence and slumping lower in his seat, still glaring at the smug Uchiha before him.

Several minutes later, after everyone had returned their attention to Kankuro's mission report, Sasuke once again found his mind wandering. His lips quirking slightly upward, he focused once again on his all-too-easy prey.

Extending a slender leg, the raven allowed his foot to run suggestively up Naruto's leg, watching the younger boy's face carefully for a reaction. He was slightly disappointed when he received none, not even a mental exclamation of surprise. Puzzled, the Uchiha almost jumped out of his skin when Kakashi leaned slightly over and whispered into his ear.

"Um, Sasuke?" The jounin spoke softly, amusement easily detected in his words, "that's a bit distracting."

Sasuke started blankly at Kakashi for a moment, not comprehending, until realization suddenly dawned. Mortified, and feeling a deep red blush engulf his face from neck to hairline, he snatched his foot back in horror and repulsion before turning to sit rigidly in his chair, staring intently at a spot on the table before him.

He remained silent, too humiliated to meet his sensei's eyes or even to shoot a venomous glare at Naruto, who had dissolved into giggles across the table, earning the blonde more dubious looks from Gaara.

'_Baka_.'

Naruto didn't even bother to respond as he buried his face in his arms, shoulders shaking with uncontrollable laughter.

Several minutes later, when Kankuro finally threw his arms up in exasperation and stomped out of the conference room, the blonde's hysterical cackling was still echoing down the hallway behind him.

* * *

"So we are here because…?" 

"Because you couldn't keep your big mouth shut during the meeting, and Gaara lost his temper."

Rubbing his shoulders for warmth, Naruto pouted slightly at the grumpy response from his companion, shooting the other boy a sideways glance. "It's not my fault raccoon eyes has no sense of humor…" he mused carefully, fishing for a response.

"Hn."

The blonde winced: no dice. He could feel Sasuke trying to block him out, could hear the raven's grumbling thoughts about _stupid_ dobe's who laughed at _stupid_ jokes and got them _both_ stuck on _stupid_ night guard duty.

'_That's an awful lot of "stupids" in one mental rant…he must still be a little shaken up from his earlier escapade with-_'

"Finish that thought and it will be your last, baka."

Naruto snorted despite himself, ignoring the sound of Uchiha teeth grinding furiously as he allowed the scene from this afternoon's meeting replay itself in his mind.

'_Stupid, stupid, **stupid** dobes!_' Naruto rolled his eyes as Sasuke purposely overused the adjective, then allowed the pools of cerulean to narrow as his attention was drawn to the raven's teeth.

Were they grinding or…chattering?

The Uchiha's shoulders tensed indignantly, his arms crossing defensively across his chest. "Definitely grinding," he snapped, glaring, then turned his back. "Besides, what do you expect, it's _freezing_ out here!"

"You should have listened to Kakashi and brought a cloak."

"Humph." Sasuke leaned against a wall of their post, allowing his back to slide down until he was seated on the ground, legs drawn tightly to his chest for warmth. As if he was going to listen to a word the scarecrow said…every other sentence was a suggestive comment. He was _never_ going to live this down!

'_Always the stubborn bastard._' Naruto sighed as he plopped down next to his disgruntled raven. He knew the other boy was nursing an injured pride, but this sullenness was getting ridiculous. Ignoring the protests, he threw his own cloak over both of them and wound his arms tightly around Sasuke's wasit, snuggling in for warmth. When Sasuke opened his mouth to argue, the other boy interjected quickly. "Oh shut up, teme, I'm cold, too."

The Uchiha remained tense for all of ten seconds before relenting and allowing his body to relax into Naruto's warmth. Alright, so maybe his slip this afternoon hadn't been the end of the world…

"It was pretty damn funny though," Naruto snickered into the junction of Sasuke's shoulder and neck, causing a pleasant tickling sensation. "You should have seen the look on Kakashi's face before he realized what was going on." Still giggling, he projected his memory to Sasuke, earning a snort of amusement before pale arms finally reached up to wrap around him.

"Anything for the Great Uzumaki's amusement," Sasuke quipped, his dark mood beginning to lift as Naruto once again managed to worm his way under the raven's skin.

His soft laughter finally subsiding, Naruto sighed and grew silent, scanning the uneventful view before him with boredom. Night watches really were painfully boring. However, he found his train of thought abruptly cut off as velvet lips crept softly over his own, gently tugging at his mouth and asking for entrance.

Which, of course, he granted happily.

After several moments of playfully wrestling for dominance, Naruto forced himself to pull back, flushed and gasping a bit for air. Damn that boy and his evil…wicked…_wonderful_ tongue.

"Sasuke," he inhaled sharply as said-object began tracing the curve of his ear, "we need to keep watch. What if-"

"You said so yourself, dobe: night watches are boring. Nobody is going to come."

No matter how much he wanted that to be true, Naruto had to accept the fact that now was not a time to be growing careless…regardless of what the distractions were. "You know, I pay more attention in those meetings than people think, Sasuke. Big things are going on; we can't just-"

"Fine," the Uchiha cut him off in exasperation once again. '_Kyuubi_,' he called mentally to Naruto's inhabitant.

"Oh come on, Sasuke, this is ridiculous!"

'_On it,_' boomed a cheerful reply.

Pleased with his own genius, the older boy suddenly rolled Naruto over, grinning smugly down at him. "See, it's all taken care of; Kyuubi's keeping watch."

"But he can't…he's not…" Naruto sputtered on the ground, guilty about ditching guard duty but knowing Sasuke was right: he and Kyuubi had used this tactic on several missions when Naruto was in desperate need of sleep but couldn't afford to let his guard down. The demon was more than capable of keeping tabs on their surroundings while he himself was…busy.

"He's _fine_," Sasuke cut him off, sucking eagerly on the younger boy's pulse and effectively dissolving his protests into appreciative moans. "Now," he drew back slightly, admiring what would soon be a very nice hickey, "let me warm you up a little."

Naruto arched his back as Sasuke's mouth once again laid siege to his neck.

He was definitely going to have to start buying scarves…

* * *

Sasuke swore softly to himself, once again pulling at his shirt's high collar while studying his reflection in the mirror. The bruise on his neck glared angrily out at the world against his pale white skin, still visible regardless of how the fabric around it was tugged. 

Damned dobe…he had allowed his attention to wander for _one_ moment and the baka had found an opening to reach up and latch onto his neck like a leech. And now, now he was going to have to walk around in _public_ with this!

'_Well, **I** think its very becoming…and it's not like you have any room to complain. I gave you one, you gave me **twelve**!_'

Sasuke chose to ignore his friend's presence on the other side of his bedroom door. Instead, he walked to his closet, pulling off his shirt to try yet another one and hoping against hope that the _next_ collar might miraculously cover his hickey.

"That's not fair," he grumbled softly to himself, knowing Naruto could hear him no matter how softly he spoke, "I could give you fifty and Kyuubi would heal every last one of them before sunrise."

"Fifty?!" The blonde's incredulous response exploded loudly from the hall, causing Sasuke to smile despite himself at the ridiculous image flickering through his friend's mind. When he finally unlocked the door and swung it open, Naruto was still standing in the hall, wincing and rubbing his neck as he imagined the tenderness fifty hickeys would result in.

"Yeah, well it would still be better than this!" The raven pointed accusingly at the very noticeable mark. "What the hell am I supposed to do!"

Naruto sniggered as he strolled across the room, flopping lazily onto the bed. "Tell them the truth: that your gorgeous, god-like boyfriend molested you last night while you moaned like a school girl."

Sasuke's indignant reply was cut short, however, as a third party entered the conversation.

'_Keep being so smug, Kit, and maybe next time I'll just leave them._'

Naruto looked skeptical, but still straightened slightly at the threat. '_Selective healing? Can you even **do** that, Kyuubi?_'

'_Do you really want to find out?_'

'…S_hutting up now._'

'_Good boy._'  
"Besides," Sasuke finally managed to interrupt what he had discovered to sometimes be _endless_ banter between the two, "If I remember correctly, _your_ squeals sound a lot more girly than mine do." Smiling coolly, he gave his newest shirt one final tug before heading towards the door.

"What! I do no- EEK!" Naruto's angry protest was cut off by his own _very_ feminine shriek as Sasuke illustrated his point by giving the blonde's butt a sharp pinch while passing by.

'_Good boy_,' he quipped smugly over his shoulder, stopping when he reached the doorway. "Come on, we are going to be late."

Rubbing at his abused buttocks, Naruto pouted darkly. "Teme!"

"Yes, yes, I'm a bastard, and you're a girly baka. Now can we please go?" Holding back a grin, the raven only paused to execute his perfect "I'm so superior" look before bolting down the hall as his friend let out a furious roar and came crashing after him.

The sun had already begun to rise by the time the two boys had been relieved of guard duty and headed back to their rooms. They had barely been asleep two hours before several Sand officials were knocking at their doors, informing them that a high-priority meeting would be taking place in fifteen minutes at the Kazekage's tower. Still tired from last night's watch (ok, so nothing had happened, but making out was hard work, too!) the two shinobi had dragged themselves warily out of bed and gotten dressed before meeting up to head over.

Once they reached the street, both boys stopped their antics, Sasuke slowing down and allowing Naruto to draw up next to him so they could walk together as two _respectable_ shinobi of Konoha.

Turning to face the brunette, Naruto stuck out his tongue childishly.

Well, _almost_ respectable.

When they finally reached Gaara's office, almost everyone else was already there. Sakura smiled in greeting as they came to stand next to her and Kakashi, and Naruto waved cheerfully to Gaara and Kankuro, who were talking softly near the room's large window.

"What's going on?" Sasuke leaned casually against a wall, scanning the last few figures in the room, which all wore masks marking them as Sand ANBU.

"Temari will be here shortly. We'll start the meeting then." Nodding to acknowledge Kankuro's reply, the raven turned back to his own team.

Kakashi was studying his neck intently. Noting the maniacal gleam in his sensei's eye, Sasuke groaned inwardly, surprised the older man hadn't wet himself with glee yet. '_Great, here we go again…_'

Naruto smiled smugly beside him. '_You should be showing that off instead of hiding it, Sasuke. A lot of people would kill to be in your shoes.'_

_'Yes, Oh Modest One, because you're **so** talented in the hickey department.'_

_'Oh, so you noticed?_' Naruto glanced over and cocked an eyebrow teasingly. Ignoring the raven's rolling eyes (it was a wonder the boy never got dizzy) he thought of yesterday's distracting meeting and widened his evil grin another notch. Time for a little payback...

_'…I'm even better in bed…'_

Oh how sweet revenge tasted; he couldn't have asked for a better reaction. A flustered Uchiha simultaneously choked, flushed, and raised both hands to stem a rather violent nosebleed, cursing all the while.

"Damnit, Naruto!" All heads in the office swiveled at his outburst, but the raven fell silent, settling on fixing his tormentor with a murderous glare.

Sasuke fought hard to ignore the wave of images Naruto's declaration had conjured up, heat gathering in his belly as flashes of writhing bodies and groaning blondes bounced through his mind, despite his best efforts. Now was _not_ a good time to be getting hard.

Naruto was so dead…

However, Sasuke's intricate plans for revenge, which Naruto was observing with a mixture of amusement and horror (laced with occasional shivers of delight), were interrupted when Temari finally blew into the office, bringing a refreshing breeze with her before closing the door securely and turning to nod at Gaara. Nodding back, the Kazekage of Sand turned to the remaining occupants of the room.

"Alright," he spoke softly, voice ringing with indisputable authority, "lets begin."

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_Oh yes, I'm aware that I'm evil!! What is the big meeting about? What does the future hold for our beloved gang of unsuspecting shinobi? I'm not even sure if **I** know at this point, but when I figure it out you'll be the first to know! Hehe, but in all seriousness, the next chapter may be awhile in the making, as I am about to start a whole new string of classes and need some time to sort everything out and get comfortable. As soon as I find the time, __I will post chapter 15, but until then, please be patient, and I can't wait to hear what you guys thought of this one!_


	15. Old Friends and New Plans

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor**: I don't own 'em...

_Thank you all very much for your patience. I finally got a chance to sit down and write this chapter, and then I ended up rewriting it about three times before I was satisfied. Aaaanyway, as you may have noticed, I condence my promised "twenty chapters of fluff" into one big chapter of **uber** fluff last time, so now it's on with the plot...Enjoy!_

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Everyone moved to gather around Gaara's desk, some sitting in chairs, others leaning against bookshelves. They had decided to hold the meeting in his office rather than the conference room for additional security, and as a result had lost the luxury of a large table to congregate around.

Once everyone was settled, Gaara finally took his seat behind the desk and cleared this throat softly. "As some of you already know, this morning Temari and I came across several interesting reports from the guards posted on watch last night. While some southern sectors remained _uneventful_," his gaze flicked to Naruto and Sasuke, lingering for just a moment on the Uchiha's exposed neck, "those towards the north spotted several suspicious activities I believe might be connected with our current problems. I have asked the ANBU captains of those squads to share their reports with everyone here."

Naruto took a moment to appreciate his friend in action. While Gaara was usually a very silent and stoic figure, chosen for his position due more to strength than diplomatic skills, the young man was very efficient at his role as leader, and was quite capable of taking charge in an almost graceful manner.

His own speech done, Gaara nodded to the three ANBU who were standing at the back of the office. Recognizing his cue, the first masked figure stepped forward, nodding his head and placing one arm over his chest respectfully.

"Kazekage-sama. Quadrant One noted several large fires on our northernmost boundary. We judged them as too large to be campfires of any of Sand's nomadic clans. Also, due to their numbers, it was further determined that none of the known merchant parties passing through are responsible. I dispatched several teams at sunrise to collect further information, and they are due to report back within the next three hours. However, in my opinion, the fires were most likely coming from one of the deserted villages at our border. Our own teams often use them as operation bases during certain missions, and they might provide intruders with a strategic place to set up camp."

Nodding to show he had heard, Gaara motioned for the next ANBU, a slightly shorter female, to step forward. After mirroring the other's respectful actions, she began with a clipped tone.

"Sir. A small group was spotted traveling through Quadrant Four. It was moving at an extremely fast pace, too fast for common merchants. After speaking with the other captains, I believe it's possible and extremely likely that this group was responsible for the fires spotted in Quadrant One."

The third ANBU's report was very similar to the second's, and after he had finished, Gaara dismissed them with a wave. When only the seven shinobi of Sand and Konoha remained in his office, he raised a hand and fisted the fingers, engulfing the entire room in what Kakashi was positive was more soundproof sand.

'_Well, this feels familiar._'

'_Shh._'

Confident that they would not be overheard, Gaara finally slumped a bit into his chair, brining on hand up to rub tiredly at his brow. "Temari."

"Got it." The blonde kunoichi sprang forward to take over the discussion from her sleep-deprived brother, leaning casually against her fan as she fixed the small group with a serious look.

"Well, obviously this news plays a big part in confirming our suspicions about Akatsuki. It looks as if we are not the only ones conducting reconnaissance. Apparently, they finally heard that we have obtained information concerning their reappearance."

"Now wait a minute," Sakura broke in with vigor, eyebrows drawn together tightly. "Isn't that jumping to conclusions? Those fires could have been lit by anyone, we don't know for sure. And besides, doesn't it seem a bit unlike Akatsuki to be so careless with their scouts. I mean, who lights an enormous bonfire to signal where their spies are camping out?"

Naruto felt a wave of gratitude rush towards Sakura. He knew this whole Akatsuki business bothered her almost as much as it did him, and the possibility of a false alarm was very reassuring at this moment.

Temari turned to face the rosette, smiling slightly at the expected argument. "This is true. However, we have not been expecting any other groups, friend or foe, to be passing through the area at this time. It is very unusual for random groups to just come wandering through without us knowing ahead of time. The only group we currently know of that fits the bill is Akatsuki. Of course, we could be wrong and it could just be one big coincidence, but when you've seen what we've all seen…well, I don't think anyone in the room is a strong believer in coincidence.

Sasuke, who was leaning on a bookshelf next to Kakashi, crossed his arms tightly in front of his chest, a scowl casting shadows over his features. "She is right about the fires though. Akatsuki is anything but stupid; they would not be that careless. Unless…"

"Unless they are setting a trap, and want us to find them," Naruto finished, painfully aware that every eye in the room was fixed on him. "After all, they've used that strategy before, and it has worked."

"But they have no leverage this time." All eyes that knew the events of three years ago swiveled to look at Sasuke. "Do they honestly expect Naruto to just waltz over there without any bait?"

"So the real question is…" Kakashi mused after several moments of silence, glancing over to Naruto, who had grown silent and contemplative (a dangerous combination for the blonde). Cerulean eyes rose to meet his, and Kakashi detected the emotions swirling deep in their depths, hidden from most human eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto brought a hand up to scratch behind his head, a nervous habit he had had since childhood. "…What is the bait?" He finished grimly.

Temari finally broke in, leaning forward on her fan, "That is what Gaara sent me out to find this morning. I flew out ahead of the ANBU scouts to the area where the fires were spotted, searching for anything." The blonde blew at a piece of hair in her face, sighing with frustration. "Unfortunately, I didn't find a single clue. Like you said, Akatsuki is anything but stupid, and they aren't about to show us what they are up to. Whoever was camped out there is long gone now…I think the sole purpose of their presence was to get our attention."

"Well they got it," snarled Sasuke, protectively inching slightly closer to Naruto. The raven was not the only one to do so.

Sakura stood up abruptly, mildly surprising the other inhabitants of the room as she moved to stand behind Naruto, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders. She raised her eyes to look at Gaara, and the determined and passionate flames he saw reflecting in her emerald depths impressed the Kazekage. "So what do we do now?" The rosette's own wave of protectiveness coursed out of her being, easily felt by everyone within a fifty-foot radius.

Naruto leaned his head back to peer up at his friend, smiling in sincere gratitude when she glanced down and their eyes met. Sakura replied with a small but warm smile of her own, giving his shoulders a reassuring squeeze to let him know they were all behind him.

Standing up to his full height, Gaara gestured to Kankuro, who stepped forward to set an armful of scrolls, maps, and folders heavily on the desk. Looking back up to his visitors, the Kazekage scanned their faces, allowing his eyes to linger on Naruto for a moment in an attempt to convey his own determination and loyalty to the other boy. The blonde understood.

As Kankuro finished arranging the piles of material, Gaara turned to address the six shinobi eagerly waiting his reply. "That," he spoke softly but firmly, "is exactly what brings us here today. I suggest you all get comfortable: nobody is leaving this office until we have a plan."

* * *

"Alright, you are dismissed. I suggest you all get some rest." Gaara addressed the small group of shinobi surrounding his desk, scanning the exhausted but satisfied faces of some of the bravest and most respectable people he had ever met, and finally releasing the jutsu that had sealed them into his office for the last twelve hours.

After lots of stretching, yawning, and a few respectful nods and bows, the ninjas began to file out slowly, the air full with a mixture of wariness and anxiousness. "Naruto," the redhead spoke up softy, meeting cerulean eyes with a blank expression.

Naruto nodded in understanding, needing no further explanation. "I'll meet up with you in a bit," he smiled softly to Sasuke, heading back towards the Kazekage's desk. The raven hesitated for only a moment, then nodded and left the office, falling into step with Kakashi and Sakura.

When they were finally alone, the door shut securely to ensure privacy, Gaara turned to examine Naruto carefully, his face giving away almost no emotion. Naruto returned the gaze evenly, his own face revealing nothing but exhaustion and wariness.

"So," the blonde finally spoke, breaking the silence as he flopped lazily into a chair, one leg sprawled over the armrest, "what do you think of all this?"

Cue the nonexistent eyebrow raise. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Naruto nodded, picking up an intricately designed pen off Gaara's desk and twirling it casually around his fingers. "I think…" he trailed off thoughtfully, eyes wandering towards the open window and taking in the beautiful night sky. Gaara waited patiently for an answer.

After several minutes, the pen's twirling came to a sudden halt, and the blonde sat up strait in his chair, hands clasping tightly together in his lap. "You know I don't go for all this tactful crap, Gaara." Blue eyes darkened in frustration, narrowing slightly as they met emerald ones. "Quite frankly, I think this whole thing bites, our situation is absolute bullshit, and we are completely fucked."

Gaara held the fiery gaze for a long moment, finally blinking his eyes slowly and deliberately before allowing a small, wistful grin to spread across this face. "Well good, at least I'm not the only one who thinks so."

Naruto snorted, standing up and heading towards the window. "Yeah, well its not like it matters anyway. Regardless of what our plan is, in the end we don't really have a choice, do we?"

Gaara nodded silently, eyes watching his friend's back as the blonde continued to stare up at the stars. "It's a workable strategy." The statement did nothing to comfort the other boy, but then, the Kazekage hadn't really expected it to.

Naruto finally turned to face him, leaning against the window frame with a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah it is. Given the circumstances, I don't really see any alternative."

"Yes, let's just hope it works." Gaara was finally allowing his guard to drop a bit, his rigid shoulders loosening slightly. It didn't matter who he met, or how close they got to him. Naruto was the only person Gaara could truly relax around, the only person he ever allowed himself to completely trust. Reaching into his desk drawer, the redhead produced a small bottle and two glasses. "Sake?"

The storm clouds gathering in the blonde's eyes seemed to lift a bit, and Naruto's face finally broke out into a true smile. It never ceased to amaze him how differently his old friend acted when it was just the two of them. Accepting a full glass, he shook his head ruefully.

"Why do you even bother? You know it won't have any effect on me."

Gaara didn't answer immediately, choosing to swallow the contents of his own glass first. Closing his eyes and savoring the burning sensation as the alcohol slid down his throat, he finally offered Naruto a smirk. "That is one thing I don't miss about Shukaku," he spoke with a twinge of amusement, helping himself to another glass of sake.

Naruto rolled his eyes, downing his own glass to humor his friend, knowing already that Kyuubi would neutralize the alcohol long before it reached his bloodstream. Because of this automatic response the fox had to any outside toxins, it was physically impossible for the shinobi to get drunk, regardless of how much alcohol he consumed.

As Gaara started on his third glass, Naruto smiled slightly, remembering the first time he and Gaara had met after Akatsuki removed Shukaku from the Kazekage. With his inner demon gone, no one had been certain how Gaara would be affected, or what he was still capable of. Being the only person with any direct experience concerning Biju, Naruto had been summoned to help the redhead test and experiment with his new condition.

The pair had set off into the desert, not wanting to endanger to village should anything go wrong. They had spent three days among the vacant sand dunes, testing abilities, speed, and stamina. Both had been mildly surprise when they discovered Gaara had retained his ability to manipulate and mold sand, even without the presence of his demon. The Kazekage, had, however, noted that his stamina and chakra levels were drastically lower, and although he believed he could work to improve them, they both suspected that these strengths would never be as high as they once were.

Although all their experiments were very interesting, the one Naruto had enjoyed the most involved an abnormally large bottle of sake and one very tipsy Gaara. As he had sat there, watching his friend get drunk of his ass for the first time, and listening as the stoic boy was reduced slurred giggles, random confessions, and one very sloppy but innocent kiss, Naruto had laughed until he cried, and to this day would never let the sand shinobi live it down. Ever since that night, the two friends always shared a drink of sake when visiting one another.

This drink, although impractical in Gaara's case and completely pointless in Naruto's, had become a comforting tradition between the two, and as the sake loosened up Gaara enough to bring out a large, true smile, Naruto felt a bit of the weight lift off his own heart. For the next hour, as they drank, caught up, and even laughed softly (yes, and intoxicated Gaara truly _was_ something to be reckoned with) it didn't matter that their situation seemed hopeless, or that their world was heading steadily towards hell. The important thing was that they were here, they were alive, and they had a friend who understood everything without having to say a single word.

* * *

Sasuke practically ran to answer the door when he finally heard a knock. Naruto had been gone for hours, and the Uchiha had been climbing the walls, anxiously imagining the blonde being kidnapped by Akatsuke, or even worse, by that good for nothing Sabaku no Gaara.

Wrenching the door open so hard that the hinges groaned in protest, the raven fixed the blonde leaning against his doorframe with a piercing glare, nostrils picking up the stench of alcohol. "Where have you been," he hissed, unable repress a wave of jealousy when he noted how cheerful the other boy looked.

"Oh, you know, I figured I'd make a quick stop at Konoha on my way back," Naruto cracked sarcastically, pushing passed the disgruntled raven and flopping on the older boy's bed. "Where do you _think_ I've been?"

Closing the door firmly and locking it, the Uchiha turned sourly to face the Kyuubi vessel. "You _said_ it would be a bit. A _bit_. Not _hours_! After what we've been discussing all day, and knowing how much danger you're in…" Sasuke trailed off, unable to finish as anger, frustration, and jealously coursed through his veins.

From the bed, Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, a feeling of indignant defensiveness rising in his chest. However, as he opened his mouth to tell Sasuke exactly what he thought of him, the raven's emotions slammed into him, and Naruto suddenly recognized that under all the anger and suspicion and jealousy, there was another, much stronger feeling.

Worry.

Sitting up with a sigh, the blonde lifted his head to meet Sasuke's furious eyes, suddenly realizing that he wasn't the only who had been deeply shaken by today's discussions. The raven was wound tighter than a spring, and Naruto could feel the anxiousness and concern in his friend's gut becoming so strong that the other boy was actually becoming nauseas.

Forcing himself to calm down, and projecting calm and apologetic feelings back towards the brunette, Naruto spoke softly but sincerely. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

Sasuke grumbled darkly for several long monents, than reluctantly came to sit on the bed beside Naruto. "Hn, as if I would worry about a baka like you," he finally muttered, ignoring the blue eyes that rolled endearingly in response. "I was just getting sick of waiting for you to drag your lazy ass home."

"Uh huh, sure," Naruto smiled cheekily, "and it never occurred to your _superior_ intellect that I could just go back to my own room?"

Sasuke didn't have a retort for that one. Pointedly ignoring his friend's question, the Uchiha got up and went to his dresser. "Well you're here now," he pulled out an extra pair of gray sweatpants and a black tank top, tossing them over to Naruto. "You might as well stay the night."

The blonde caught the makeshift pajamas easily, grinning at the knowledge that he had won this round. "Well, since you asked _so_ nicely," he quipped, pushing off the bed and heading towards the bathroom to change.

Sasuke flopped tiredly down on his bed after the bathroom door closed, rubbing his eyes with a fisted hand. What a day it had been. Noting the mental waves unconsciously coming from the bathroom as Naruto got ready for bed, the Uchiha listened quietly as snippets of his friend's thoughts drifted through his head.

'_…hope Gaara got back ok…can tell he's worried…always drinks a lot when he's worried…hope Sasuke wasn't too jealous…damn sake, makes everything reek…going to have to soak this shirt tomorrow…tomorrow's going to be busy…so much to do…hope it works…_'

The endless musings continued, but Sasuke was getting used to them always being in the back of his mind, and the Uchiha began to get lost in his own thoughts, his memories of the meeting and anxiousness about tomorrow overlapping and mixing with Naruto's.

The blonde finally emerged from the bathroom, Sasuke's pajamas slightly too small for his large frame. The borrowed tank top clung tightly to his torso, and Sasuke silently appreciated the distinct outlines of Naruto's well-toned abs before allowing his gaze to sink lower. Noticing that his sweatpants ended several inches above the blonde's ankles, the Uchiha tried unsuccessfully to bite back a snicker, earning him a dark look from the other boy.

"Shove it, shorty," was the blonde's only response before hopping under the covers and snuggling into the extra pillow. Rolling his eyes at the crack towards his height, Sasuke followed suit, pulling the blankets up to his chin and stretching out a foot until it brushed against Naruto's.

The younger boy smiled, closing his eyes sleepily. "G'night, bastard," he mumbled.

"Hn. Dobe."

The two shinobi tried to get some sleep, thoughts of tomorrow looming darkly over their heads.

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_That's all for now! I dedicated a lot of this chapter to the relationship between Naruto and Gaara, because I felt it was being neglected a little, and some of my faithful reviewers seemed to agree. I hope you all enjoyed it, and stay tuned for the next installment as our fearless party set off on their mysterious mission! (And as always, please review review review!!)_


	16. Unexpected Obstacles

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimor**: I don't own Naruto

_Alright, so I would like to explain my motives for this chapter...first of all, I wanted to bring a little focus back to the Naruto and Sasuke drama (and from your reviews, I know at least a few of you agree). Second of all, I've gotten several requests for a more...mature relationship between our boys. Although I don't write full fledged lemons (sorry guys), I decided to compromise, and this is as close as you're going to get. I hope everyone enjoys!_

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Sasuke gasped out in pleasure as hot lips trailed down his body, nibbling here, licking there, but ultimately heading for a very obvious destination.

He had been greeted this morning by a very…enthusiastic blonde, who had wished him a husky "Good morning, teme," before helpfully disposing Sasuke of all of his clothes in a remarkably short time. Before the surprised Uchiha could even blink however, he had found himself on his back, nestled into the covers by the lithe body sitting on top of him. Naruto silenced his questions with a fierce kiss, before withdrawing slowly and offering a coy smile before allowing his mouth to travel lower.

Suddenly Sasuke felt his eyes bulge as he felt the younger boy take him completely into his mouth, swallowing roughly. With a poorly suppressed cry of ecstasy, the raven bucked fervently into that moist, warm cavern, hands clutching at white, satin sheets, twisting them into knots.

He wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but he suddenly found himself on top of Naruto, staring down into eyes that reflected the hunger he knew was shining hotly in his own. Their chests heaved in unison as Sasuke leaned down to crash their mouths together in a passionate kiss, their teeth clacking together and their tongues fighting for dominance.

When he glanced up next, Naruto's wrists had been secured tightly to the headboard with a silky piece of red fabric, and obsidian eyes blinked in confusion. When had he…?

His attention was quickly drawn back to the sweat soaked body beneath him, however, as Naruto groaned and writhed on the bed, looking up at him with heavily lidded eyes. "Sasuke, _please_," he moaned out huskily, and his pleading voice alone almost made Sasuke cum on the spot.

He needed no further encouragement, and fiercly pressed his body down against the blonde. Slender hips rose and rolled against his, grinding their hard members together and creating a wonderful friction that made them both cry out.

"S-Sasuke," Naruto moaned, grinding upwards again, "I need you _now_."

The raven couldn't agree more, and was just about to grant his partner's wish when suddenly a blinding white light flashed before his eyes, and the blissful scene began to dissolve into its brightness…

* * *

When Sasuke snapped awake, sweat pouring off his body, heart racing, and chest heaving, two things were very apparent to the raven. 

One: he had a very big, very _uncomfortable_ problem throbbing beneath the sheets.

Two: Naruto's imagination was _much_ more vivid and...creative than his own.

Wincing at the stiffness of his groin, which was not being helped by the images Naruto's still-dreaming mind was happily continuing to supply his libido with, Sasuke tried to crawl out of the bed before he embarrassed himself, only to find that he couldn't move. As a fiery feeling crept slowly up his back, his body beginning to shiver in anticipation, the raven looked desperately around, frantically searching for whatever was preventing him from escaping.

It didn't take his pleasure-clouded brain long to locate it. There, clutching firmly to the Uchiha's waste, legs wriggling and intertwining with the raven's own, lay a panting Naruto. The younger boy's eyes were scrunched tightly closed, his breath coming out somewhat raggedly, golden spiky hair soaked with sweat and clinging to his forehead. As the blonde's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, a soft moan escaped his lips and he grinded softly against Sasuke's hip.

It wasn't that Sasuke didn't approve of this action; on the contrary, the Uchiha was already mentally incorporating it into his new and _very_ improved daily agenda. However, a tiny voice tugging at the back of his mind kept insisting that screwing a sleeping person senseless was probably considered unethical in most countries. Unable to ignore this persistent nagging, the brunette heaved a sigh and decided that there was only one solution. He'd simply have to wake the dobe up, and _then_ screw him senseless.

"Naruto," the raven groaned, reaching out a hand to shake is oblivious friend's shoulder, "Naruto, wake up."

"Ugh, Sasuke," the other boy moaned out his name, and Sasuke had to bite his lip to keep from groaning at the desperate sound of the blonde's voice.

"Naruto," he almost yelled, his voice cracking as he shook the sleeping body harder. "Naruto you _baka_, wake _up_!"

"Huh, wh-what?" Cobalt eyes opened sluggishly, blinking up at the Uchiha in a daze of confusion. Suddenly they snapped open, widening to the size of saucers. "Fuck!"

Sasuke allowed a feral grin to creep across his features, moving closer to the now "legitimately awake" boy next to him. "Yes, I agree, lets," he murmured, muscles tightening like a cat ready to pounce.

"What? S-Sasuke, no, stop!" Naruto tried to push away, but only managed to get his feet tangled in the bed sheets, preventing his escape.

"Begging already? A little early for that, isn't it, dobe?" Sasuke smirked, hand traveling down the blonde's torso and hooking two fingers under the elastic band of his pants. Heat flooding his veins in anticipation, he gave an experimental tug.

"Sasuke, stop it! Get _off_ of me!" Naruto shoved hard, managing to break free of the Uchiha's iron grip and scramble frantically away, and the panicked tone of his voice finally seemed to reach Sasuke's lust-ridden mind.

Blinking slowly in confusion, the raven frowned. "What's wrong?

"This…this…I don't want this, Sasuke!"

"What are you talking about?" The raven couldn't help it; something inside him twisted painfully. Flashing momentarily with hurt, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Damnit Naruto, you just _molested_ me in your dreams! You want this _just_ as bad as I do!"

But the blonde was shaking his head vehemently, jerking himself out of the bed like a cornered animal. "No, this isn't…you…I _can't_." The last part seemed to almost be an urgent plea. Without another word, he was gone, disappearing in a flurry of movement and slamming the bathroom door behind him with a bang.

"What the…?" Sasuke sat slightly dazed on his bed, scratching his disheveled head in puzzlement as his face took on an almost pathetic look of bewilderment.

* * *

'_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!_' Naruto slammed the bathroom door behind him, clutching the sink with white knuckles as he took shaky breaths. "Come on, Uzumaki," he whispered furiously to himself, "get a hold of yourself." 

His ever-helpful brain took this opportunity to supply him with one of the more erotic scenes of his dream, and the blonde groaned in frustration as he got even harder, biting his fist to muffle it. '_Shiiiiit!'_

_'Pick a new one Kit, that one's getting redundant.'_

"Shut _up_, Kyuubi," the blonde wailed, not even bothering to keep the yell mental as he threw himself into the shower fully clothed and yanked on the cold water. The icy stream hit his back like a thousand needles, and the flustered shinobi yelled out the only word that seemed to be coming to mind this morning.

"SHIT!"

The fox demon let out an exasperated sigh. '_Some people are just **hopeless**…_'

* * *

Sasuke allowed his feet to bounce lightly up and down on the floor, all of his soothing thoughts doing nothing to alleviate his…predicament. 

The nerve of that dobe! It was _Naruto_ who had dreamt impure thoughts, it was _Naruto_ who had freaked out and bolted into the bathroom, where the shower had been running for five minutes, and still, it was _Sasuke_ sitting here on the bed, confused, frustrated, and in _pain_, damnit!

Well enough was enough.

Rising rather stiffly to his feet, the Uchiha walked (or rather staggered) over to the bathroom door knocking loudly on it. "Naruto?" He called firmly, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice, "Naruto, I'm coming in!"

People do stupid things when they are upset. Some say things they don't mean. Others eat five-gallon tubs of ice cream at 3 a.m. in the morning. And some forget to lock the bathroom door or pull the curtain closed when they are taking a shower.

Guess which type of person Uzumaki Naruto was.

Needless to say, the sight that met Sasuke's eyes when he opened the door to his bathroom didn't exactly do anything to help his little "situation". Standing there in awe of the Adonis before him, eyes tracing the rivulets of water traveling down Naruto's tanned, toned, and very naked body, Sasuke's mind could only supply the stunned boy with one thought as blood began to trickle from his nose.

"Shit."

'_And the hits just keep on coming…_' Groaned an ancient voice through his head.

Naruto whirled, eyes widening before his hands fumbled wildly for the curtain. When it had become apparent that a quick jump under cold water was not going to stop the painful throbbing in his groin, the blonde had stripped off his clothes, allowing the icy liquid more direct access to his skin. Now, as he stood before Sasuke in all his glory, Naruto felt his cheeks heat up brilliantly.

However, unfortunately for the younger boy, his frantic movements resulted in his foot landing on a bar of soap. Arms windmilling desperately for a moment, trying to regain balance, Naruto lost the battle with gravity and pitched forward towards the ceramic floor.

In an instant, Sasuke was in front of him, catching the slippery blonde's forearms and joining him under the freezing spray of the showerhead in an attempt to keep them both upright. Hissing as the icy water hit his shoulders, the Uchiha glared angrily at the soggy bundle trapped between his arms and the wall. "What," he ground out, "is your _problem_?"

"Get off me, bastard!" The blond struggled to break free of his grasp, pushing hard against Sasuke's soaked chest and burning with embarassment. "J-just leave me alone!"

"No."

"Go away!"

"**No**!" Naruto's eyes actually rose to meet the Uchiha's when he heard the venom in his voice. The sight that reached them made him cringe, Sasuke's usual pools of obsidian bleeding into furious swirls of red. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you, Naruto? You wake me up, you get me so riled up that I feel like I'm on fire, and then you just run off?! No explanations, no apologies, just 'I can't' like some sniveling school girl!"

"…Sasuke, liste-"

"No _you_ listen! We are _dating_ Naruto, or at least that was the impression _I_ was under. I don't just go making out with every person that comes my way, and I'm not the kind of person looking for a casual fuck! Now, I can accept the fact that my boyfriend is shy, I have no problem with him being embarrassed, and I would even be ok with it if he's just not ready and wants to wait. But what I simply can_not _accept is someone who looks me straight in the eye and blatantly lies about what he wants, and then won't tell me why!"

His rant finally drawing to a close, Sasuke glared furiously at the boy before him, chest heaving as anger and frustration continued to wrack his frame. Naruto remained silent for several long moments, staring up at him with anguish as the icy water continued to pound down on their backs.

And then, suddenly, it was if the curtain hiding the blonde's thoughts was ripped open. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as his mind was suddenly assaulted by dozens of thoughts and emotions that didn't belong to him.

'_What if this isn't real? What if this isn't what he really wants? What if…what if he's just trying to fix things…to prove himself…to make me trust him again…what if…what if…?_'

Naruto suddenly went limp against Sasuke's chest, burying his face in the raven's pale, wet neck. A low sob escaped the blonde's throat as he clung to his friend like a lost child. "Why can't I trust you," he choked out desperately, nails digging painfully into the Uchiha's back, "I want to trust you so bad it hurts, Sasuke. Why can't I just _trust_ you?"

The violent anger instantly dissolved, and Sasuke felt a wave of pain and protectiveness surge forward in its place as he wrapped soaked arms tightly around the other boy. Narrowing his eyes in determination, the raven buried his head into Naruto's drenched hair, standing still and silent for many long minutes.

Long after they were both shivering, long after Sasuke's back began to go numb, the older boy finally raised his head, speaking in a fierce whisper against golden spikes.

"I'm going to fix this, Naruto. I don't know how, but I'm going to fix this."

* * *

The rest of the morning passed in relative silence, a heavy, sullen feeling weighing oppressively on Sasuke's chest as Naruto returned to his own room to pack while the Uchiha turned to face his own bags. 

Sighing in frustration, the raven threw himself heart and soul into the task, desperate for anything to divert attention from his past, present, future, and the certain blonde that seemed to tie them all together in a hopeless tangle of knots.

Packing offered his mind blissful escape, as he carefully checked and rechecked his mental lists, cleaned his weapons, and efficiently fit everything he would need into his pack. However, the familiar, almost comforting routine was over all too soon, and in less than an hour Sasuke found himself adjusting his belt one final time before slinging the pack over a shoulder and heading out to meet the rest of the group.

They were gathering at the city gates, and when Sasuke arrived many members of the group were already there. However, after a quick scan, he frowned as he noticed his blond was not one of them.

Gaara, Kakashi, and Temari stood in a small circle, conversing softly in hushed voices as the raven drew near. His teacher glanced up, nodded in greeting, and then quirked an eyebrow in questioning.

"Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously, fixing his teacher with a glare before shrugging silently and turning to go lean on the city's wall a few yards away. Kakashi outwardly observed the reaction with calm curiosity, ignoring the waves of murderous intent radiating off his student, but inside he felt his stomach clench warningly. Unable to prevent the small inkling of dread to rise in his throat, the silver-haired shinobi resisted the urge to groan. '_Uh-oh, trouble in paradise…_'

Sakura jogged up several moments later, greeting the group cheerfully with a warm smile. However, after one glance at the brooding Uchiha, she shot Kakashi a questioningly look. The older man shrugged helplessly.

Sakura didn't even _try_ to repress her groan.

* * *

Naruto glanced at the clock again, barely registering the numbers that glared brightly back at him. Upon reaching the safety of his own room, the blonde had sat weakly down on his bed, staring off into space as his mind overflowed with questions and doubts. 

Guilt coiled tightly in his gut every time he thought about the events of this morning, and the more he analyzed his reactions towards Sasuke's advances, the more irrational and melodramatic they seemed. Why did he have to react so violently? Why did he have to go and ruin everything right when things were starting to look up?

Kyuubi had tried to offer comfort, rationalizing the blonde's actions and pointing out that he had good reason to overreact to whatever he saw fit when it came to the Uchiha's loyalties. Of course, these points didn't really make Naruto's situation any less confusing.

Finally forcing himself off the bed, the blonde began to pack, his hands automatically reaching for clothes, weapons, and scrolls in the near vicinity as his mind continued to race a mile a minute.

Sasuke had seen…he had seen everything. The guilt swelled again, and an innocent pair of Naruto's shorts was shoved with undeserved hostility into his pack. Frustration rose once more in the boy's chest as his fists clenched and he angrily slammed a few more kunai into his belt.

He was so sick of this. Yes, it was great being close to Sasuke. Yes, it was fun sometimes. And, yes, if their minds had never been connected, they might have never realized how they felt about each other. However, regardless of all this, one simple face remained: some things are better left private.

Naruto ran a hand through his hair as humiliation burned across his face at the thought of his dream last night: a perfect example. But it wasn't just stupid little things like his horniness that the boy wanted to hide. His thoughts were no longer his own. His fears, his doubts, nothing was private anymore, nothing was safe. Sometimes he felt like he was losing himself…

For all he knew, Sasuke could be listening to his thoughts this very moment. Tentatively reaching out with his consciousness, Naruto dismissed this thought quickly. It seemed Sasuke was currently lost in his own thoughts…

As he secured his belt firmly around his waist, the blonde sighed softy. Sometimes he wished, more than anything, that they could find a way to undo this damned jutsu. They couldn't stay stuck like this forever, could they? Surely someone would figure out a solution, wouldn't' they?

Reaching for his pack, Naruto's cerulean eyes flickered to the mirror across from him on the wall, and suddenly his entire body went rigid, his hand freezing just above the bag as his gaze locked on a pair of eyes staring back at him.

There, sitting casually in the window behind him, sat a hauntingly familiar figure, its reflection smiling mockingly at the stunned blonde. Its features were dark, hidden partially beneath the hood of a red and black Akatsuki cloak. However, despite the shadows cast over his face, Naruto had no trouble recognizing those piercing yellow eyes, nor the dark, menacing power that radiated off the man.

His trance was suddenly broken as one of the eyes winked slyly, and Naruto whirled to face the window, eyes narrowing when they met nothing. The figure was gone, leaving nothing but a faint flicker of his ominous power behind. Running to the window, the blonde scanned the streets below fruitlessly, already knowing it was pointless.

A knock at his doorway caused him to whip his head around, his pulse racing and adrenaline coursing through his veins as the door swung open to reveal another figure in the hallway. However, as the man stepped forward slowly, Naruto instantly let out the breath he had been holding, relief flooding his systems.

"Ready to go, Naruto?" Kankuro asked lightly, adjusting the puppets strung to his back. However, after catching sight of his friend's pale, stricken face, the puppet ninja's eyes narrowed in concern. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Naruto smiled and let out a shaky smile. Hefting his pack over his shoulder, he turned to Kankuro, determination shining in his eyes.

"I think," he said darkly, "I just discovered the bait."

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_(Hops nervously from foot to foot, wringing her hands) Sooo...what did we think? 'Twas my first time writing something like this, and I admit I was a bit timid in posting it. Anyway, I hope you all liked it, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!_


	17. The Beginning of the End

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** ...nope...

_Phew, made it to another update. Really sorry for the long wait guys, life has been crazy, and it's not slowing down so the next chapter will be a bit late in its arrival as well...that's just the way the banana peels..._

_I loved reading the responses to last chapter...it's kinda funny, I wasn't planning on making the man's identity such a mystery...it actually goes waaay back to chapter 2...but no worries, you'll see what I mean...enjoy!_

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"I still don't think we should be trusting him yet. It hasn't even been six months yet. How can you be sure he's loyal?"

Swirling pools of red clashed angrily with brown. "I told you not to question me," spoke an icy, dismissive voice.

"I'm not the damn lap dog Kisame was! Don't give _me_ orders, you bastard."

Tobi suddenly broke off and winced as the tabooed name left his lips, already regretting his sudden loss of temper. Shivers raced up his spine as a pale face snapped to fix him with a piercing glare, projecting murderous intent.

Feeling panic surge through his body, the masked boy threw his hands up in a pacifying, pleading gesture, eyes fixed on the glowing red irises before him and the ominous black triangles that were rapidly encompassing them from the centers. "Stop! I'm sorry, ok? Just chill, man."

But his pleas did little to pacify the demon slowly approaching him; in fact, they seemed to only increase his anger. As the edges of his world began to blur in the telltale sign of Mangeyko Sharingan, he threw his arms over his head in a futile attempt to protect his mind from the onslaught. "Don't!"

"Enough, Itachi." The edges of reality suddenly stopped rippling, and Tobi choked a sob of relief when he found himself still in the real world. Turning his head, he glanced furtively at his savior.

Deidara stood close to the oldest living Uchiha, fixing him with a firm but wary glare. The hand that rested lightly on the raven's arm served not so much as physical restrain, but as an anchor to call him back from the blind fury that had overtaken him. Blinking slowly, Itachi shrugged the hand off with a grunt, eyes never leaving Tobi's trembling form.

"We don't know how much longer you'll be able to perform Mangeyko before your vision is compromised and you can't use it anymore. Don't waste it on the kid."

Allowing his venomous glare to rest warningly on Tobi for one final moment, the Uchiha finally let it slide to meet Deidara's tense gaze. Bowing his head in silent consent, he turned his back on the useless brunette and gave the other man his undivided attention.

"Report."

Immediate danger avoided, Deidara let his shoulders relax slightly and released the breath he had been holding. This would have never happened in the old organization. The old boss wasn't nearly as unbalanced or volatile as Itachi, the senior members not as careless or cheeky as Tobi. In the old Akatsuki, Deidara could have remained the pompous, narcissistic artist he was at heart instead of being forced to play the diplomatic peacemaker, a role he was ill-suited for.

But this wasn't the old Akatsuki, and things had changed. The boss and all but three of the original members had been wiped out by those damn Konoha sannin, and the organization had lain in ruins for almost a year. Then, a moody Uchiha had risen to take their fallen leader's place, reconstructing a new Akatsuki and bringing with him new members, new rules, and new ambitions. Having nowhere else to go (and nothing better to do), Deidara and Tobi had decided to follow along.

Shaking his head to clear these musings, Deidara turned his mind hastily back to the report he had just received moments ago. Clearing his throat, he recounted the details to the impatient man before him. "As predicted, they have assembled a party to investigate, and left the village about an hour ago. The group consists of the four Konoha shinobi along with the three Sand siblings. They split into several sub groups not long ago, and we estimate he will be in range by noon."

"And Hirohito?" Itachi glanced darkly over his shoulder, daring Tobi to challenge the loyalty of Akatsuki's newest member again. For once, the younger man remained silent.

"He succeeded in making contact with the boy this morning. Recognition was confirmed. There is no doubt that the Jinchuriki will seek us out now."

Itachi remained quiet for several moments, deep in thought. Finally he turned silently on his heel and headed back towards his room, leaving the other two men to their own devices and ignoring Tobi's whispered gratitude to his "Deidara-sempai" for saving him from "crazy bastards" and their "twisted alternate universes". As he walked, the raven's mind once again ran over every aspect of his plan before the corner of his mouth twitched upward with satisfaction.

'_Soon_,' he promised darkly to the shinobi drawing ever closer, '_I will pay you back for all the trouble you have caused_.'

* * *

"If _anything_ goes wrong, you come right back here, understand?" Sakura stood before Naruto, her voice laced with urgency as she unconsciously wrung her hands. "_Anything_." 

A pair of warm, battle-scarred hands encompassed her own to stop the worried movement, and she rose her eyes to meet amused pools of cerulean. "I got it, Sakura-chan," Naruto offered her a small, reassuring smile. "We've gone over this a dozen times."

"Promise me." The med nin couldn't help it; she knew how her friend got when he was determined. No matter how many times he swore, no matter how many carefree smiles he gave her, Naruto wouldn't stop until the mission was complete and his friends were safe. Even if it meant that he got hurt.

Nevertheless, she had to hear it, that last minute, traditional and comforting promise that she always made his swear. Swallowing the fears clenching painfully at her chest, Sakura looked at him expectantly, face scrunched up in a demanding plea.

She was surprised when, instead of the exasperated "yeah, yeah, yeah" the blonde usually responded with, the boy suddenly wrapped two strong arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. Even as she relished the feelings of warmth, safety, and confidence radiating from Naruto's embrace, a tiny voice in the back of Sakura's mind whispered hysterically that this was not a good sign._ 'This is it! He's saying goodbye! He-_' but she was cut off by a soft voice whispering in her ear.

"I _promise_, Sakura."

Finally forcing her rigid shoulders to relax, Sakura hugged him back fiercely, fighting back tears as she nodded into his chest. She hated it when her comrades went willingly into the arms of danger. Especially Naruto. He was her light, her hope, her strength. No mater what happened, the boy always knew how to chase her clouds away and make the impossible suddenly seem reachable. Without him…

"Be careful," she whispered back, before gently pulling away and offering a small smile.

"Hey. It's me!" (**1)** He winked and she rolled her eyes, turning back to check the group's supplies.

Laying at the edge of the small clearing, the heaping pile consisted of various weapons, several packs, one of Kankuro's extra puppets (wrapped, as usual, with extreme care), and Sakura's own medical pack, which the kunoichi prayed she wouldn't need to use. Busying herself with the task of checking and rechecking the components of the pile, the rosette tried to offer her two surrogate brothers some privacy.

Somewhere in the back of her mind a voice chimed in that she would have to stop calling them brothers…the way their relationship was going, that term was just getting creepy…

After Sakura had moved a safe distance away, Sasuke caught Naruto's eye and tilted his chin slightly towards the privacy of the surrounding trees. Nodding, the blonde quietly followed him into the dense forest, staying close enough to the clearing to sense their friend's chakra but far enough away that they couldn't be seen.

Naruto was so caught up with his own thoughts that he didn't immediately register that the raven in front of him had come to a stop, and as a result he bumped into him clumsily with a grunt.

"Ah, sorry, I wasn-" But the blonde suddenly found himself cut off as Sasuke spun on his heel and pushed the younger boy roughly against nearby tree before claiming his lips with a passionate kiss.

They remained in the heated embrace for several long minutes before pulling apart, gasping for air with flushed faces. "Wh-what was tha-" Naruto began breathlessly, mind pleasantly clouded over, but he was once again interrupted.

"For later," the Uchiha explained cryptically, ignoring Naruto's look of confusion. Finally the blonde simply shrugged, too preoccupied with other things to worry about Sasuke's bastard-like personality quirks for the moment. .

"Are you sure…?" The raven began tentatively, only to trail off as emotions warred within him. He didn't need to finish: Naruto could feel his turmoil, and knew all the possible ends to that sentence.

'_Are you sure that you want to do this…that this is going to work…that this is the only way…?_'

Allowing his body to fall a little more into the raven's embrace, Naruto sighed and leaned his forehead against other boy's. "Sasuke," he said softly, adopting the same confident tone he had used with Sakura even as his stomachs did flip-flops, "we've been through this already. In Gaara's office we were only making guesses, but now I've actually _seen_ him with my own eyes."

"How do you know for sure?" Sasuke broke in, voice shaking as he reached weakly for straws that weren't there. "What…what if you are wrong, and it was someone else?"

This last attempt earned him a derisive snort. "Teme, this is the guy who almost killed me a few weeks ago; the guy who tortured me for Kami's sake! Those eyes…that aura…I'd recognize him anywhere. It all fits; I actually can't believe we didn't see this sooner. I mean, who else but Akatsuki would go through all that trouble just to get a peak inside my head?

"There are tons of people, Naruto. You aren't exactly the most low profile ninja of Konoha," even Sasuke could hear the level of desperation ringing in his own voice. "And besides, the guy who attacked you wasn't wearing an Akatsuki cloak."

Naruto let his eyes roll, something pulling at his heart as he watched Sasuke's fruitless attempts to protect him. "Well, _duh_! They were trying to get me alone; even Itachi knows that once Akatsuki is involved, there is no getting rid of your stubborn ass. You would have never left me had he worn the official 'uniform' of Bastards Inc. They must have had it planned down to the smallest detail." He took a moment to admire the organization's brilliant strategy: sending an unrecognizable new recruit, relying on Sasuke's speed to force the raven into leaving Naruto behind…it really had been a beautifully constructed scheme.

Shaking his head, he returned his attention back to Sasuke. "Besides, even if it isn't the guy who ambushed me, it's not like that changes the situation at all. We still need to deal with the new Akatsuki." Cutting off the obvious oncoming retort, the blonde plowed on, realizing that for once, _he_ was the one with logic on his side. "Teme, this could be our only chance to decipher and undo this stupid jutsu. That's the real bait, and we can't afford not to take it, no matter what the risk."

"It's not worth your life, Naruto!"

Naruto held the brunette's defiant glare evenly. "Stop acting like a kid, Sasuke. We can't stay like this forever," he said firmly, noting with hidden amusement how the raven's jaw twitched at the word "kid". Seeing the older boy open his mouth to protest again, the blonde narrowed his eyes, squared his shoulders, and forced his mind into the cold, objective state many missions required him to enter.

"Sasuke," he admonished firmly, "you're letting your emotions cloud your senses. This is our mission. As shinobi we are obligated to complete it. This isn't the first time I've been forced to participate in a dangerous mission, and it won't be the last. That's just the way our lives go."

Cobalt held obsidian for a moment, before Sasuke finally sighed and deflated in surrender, knowing that Naruto was right. This was the life they had chosen, and with it came sacrifices and risks. Standing silently for a few moments, the Uchiha felt his chest constrict painfully before he reached out and squeezed the blonde's shoulder gently but urgently.

The stood this was in silence for several long moments before the raven managed to find his voice. "Be careful," he choked out softly, echoing Sakura's advice, eyes pleading for Naruto to take heed of it even though his heart knew it was a futile battle of wills.

The stoic mask slipped slightly, and the corners of the blonde's mouth pulled upward into a smile he reserved only for Sasuke. "You too," He whispered back, a flicker of warmth returning to his eyes. Sighing softly, he glanced over his shoulder and then back to the Uchiha. "We should get back, it's just about time."

Sasuke nodded stiffly, and they returned to the clearing in heavy silence.

* * *

"Target identity confirmed: it's the Kyuubi." 

"Is he alone?"

"Roger that. Looks like he slipped away during his guard duty." A small strand of smugness tugged gently at Deidara's ego. "It's just like your predicted, Itachi. The boy must be after Hirohito, and he is trying to protect his comrades by coming alone."

The raven smirked before speaking into his radio coldly. "Naruto-kun is as predictable as he is foolish. No matter how strong he gets physically, the weakness in his heart will always betray him in the end."

A new, younger voice crackled across the radio. "Yeah, that's really interesting and all, but what do you want us to do now?"

The impertinent question (Tobi had obviously grown bolder now that a reasonable distance had been placed between him an Itachi) was followed almost instantly by the sound a fist connecting with the back of a head. "Ow!" the young voice wailed in protest.

"Shut up, idiot." Deidara was now, presumably, back in control of the radio. "What are our orders, Itachi?"

A dark, exasperated voice cracked back in response. "Just hold your position. Let him get a little farther on his own: the further he wanders into the trap, the less likely it is that he'll escape."

Deidara found himself nodding, even though he knew the raven couldn't see him. "Understood. I'll report back if anything changes." Turning back to his post, the rogue shinobi relocated his prey and settled in to wait.

In an inconspicuous hideout not far away, Itachi set the radio down on a table, the soft 'click' seeming to echo through the cavernous room. Walking lazily to a single window, the newly assumed leader of Akatsuki looked out at the clear blue sky with emotionless eyes.

It had been many years, over a decade, since that fateful the day. The day his heart had been engulfed by darkness, bloodlust, and power. The day his hands had become forever stained with the blood of his closest friend, and he had turned his back on his family, murdering every single one of them, save one.

Many people had asked the man why. Why had he done it? Why had he taken all his prestige, all his talent, and thrown it all away to betray his clan? It was a logical question, one that even Itachi had been forced to ask himself more than once, but the answer was convoluted and blurred even to him. Try as he might, the Uchiha could not force his mind to supply an answer that could rationalize such a merciless, bloodthirsty act.

Eventually he had simply attributed his actions to sheer power and seduction of true power, and had attempted shrugged the whole event off. He had spent several years wandering aimlessly in an icy coma of apathy, unconscious of the passage of time, or the people he met. He had severed every bond he had ever shared, and without anything to connect him to the world, his existence lost perspective, purpose, and meaning.

Not that he cared: Itachi didn't care about anything. Or anyone.

And yet, whenever the raven's mind tried to fully embrace this concept, he could not prevent one single image from springing forth, fixing itself resolutely before his eyes before drifting once more into the recesses of oblivion. It was an image that prevented him from losing himself completely in a blissful oblivion, an image that forced him to continue to wander, searching halfheartedly for something he didn't even understand.

It was an image that followed Itachi wherever he went, and it depicted the warm, smiling face of the friend he had killed all those years ago. Despite his coldness, his apathy, and his anger, the raven was incapable of escaping the haunting image of Shisui, and his friend's face stirred something unwelcome deep inside his emotionless chest.

And lately, Shisui's young, smiling visage had been joined by the gruff, battle-scarred face of Kisame.

Shaking his head in frustration at these pointless thoughts, Itachi walked swiftly from the window, grabbing the radio angrily from the table and bringing it to his lips.

"Deidara, change of plans. Do it now."

Several miles away, the blonde cocked an eyebrow at Itachi's sudden change of heart, lips already moving to convey his confusion. Tobi, however, was much too excited and impatient about obtaining the target in front of them to waste time questioning orders.

Snatching the small unit from Deidara's hand, the youngest member of Akatsuki flicked the switch on the radio, ignoring his senpai's protests and relating his own reply eagerly. "Copy that, Boss. Commencing mission _immediately_."

Tossing a smug smirk at his companion, Tobi rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "This is going to be fun," he grinned, before taking off swiftly through the trees.

Deidara watched his young partner depart hastily with a sigh. Impatient as usual…the kid really was hopeless. And rude. And sometimes downright _infuriating_.

Still, Tobi was right: they had work to do. Reaching into his pocket, the blonde fed some clay into his hand's eagerly waiting mouth, enjoying the unique sensation that spread across his palm as a result. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a flash of the telltale orange that marked his first worthwhile opponent in months.

Maybe the kid was right…maybe this _would_ be fun.

**_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

******(1) **hehe, sorry couldn't resist..._bows head in reverence to Han Solo's greatness_

_Yeaaaa update finally complete! Took me **ages** to finish this one (as I'm sure you all noticed...sorry again!). We're getting close to the final confrontation here, so I'm sorry to tell you that cliff hangers are gonna start becoming veeeeerry familiar...insert evil snicker...anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to hear (or rather read) what you thought of it! Stay tuned for the next chapter (I'll **try** to have it up within the next month)._


	18. A Light Snuffed Out

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** They aren't mine.

_Yeaaaa, I can finally post does the "happy-update-dance" Anyway, I'm sorry it took so long. Things have been crazy, and this chapter is a big one. I had to make sure I covered everything and didn't miss any important points. It's a little longer than normal (my gift to you all for being such lovely, patient readers), and I hope you enjoy it. I do warn you, this chapter is a little darker than many of the others, but stick with me- The end is going to be good!_

_Oh, and I have a newfound respect for anyone who has ever written the character of Itachi...the man is **impossible**! He has no personality, no motives, no story. Gah! In the end, I tried to make him sort of detatched and off-kilter...that seemed to suit him best..._

_Enjoy!_

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**Flashback...**

After disposing of two cloak-wearing idiots who had made some very bad life choices, the last of which included assuming that the dark haired stranger walking in front of them would be fun to mess with, the eldest Uchiha came to a sudden decision that he liked black and crimson. As there were very few things in life that ever managed to catch Itachi's attention, and even fewer that he actually _liked_, the raven had stopped his endless march long enough to relieve one of the lifeless bodies of its cloak.

After carefully situating the fabric over his shoulders, Itachi had looked carefully down, expressionless eyes scanning his new apparel. A rare spark of pleasure flickered momentarily in his stomach; he liked black and crimson very much. They reminded him of his eyes. They were his.

This being decided, he turned to continue down the path once again, heading for nowhere in particular. Time passed in its usual blur, interrupted only by more encounters with the cloaked figures in black and crimson, which seemed to be becoming more and more frequent.

Eventually, his progression was halted by a particularly powerful aura that actually registered on his radar. He had not encountered something this powerful since leaving Konoha behind, and for the second time in one week, Itachi felt his interest peaked slightly.

The aura belonged to a strange man with spiky, auburn hair and cold, bottomless eyes. Itachi had thought that _he_ was the only one with eyes like that.

The Uchiha had waited for the attack. For the unsought of punches. For the unbelievably powerful jutsus. For the possibility of death. But nothing ever came.

Instead, the strange man had looked Itachi up and down, cocked an eyebrow, and asked the teenager why he had been killing all of his men.

Itachi told him he had wanted a cloak.

The man asked why.

Itachi told him he liked the colors.

Then the man laughed.

It was an odd laugh, a cold laugh, and Itachi remained silent until it stopped. When the man finally caught his breath, he offered the raven a cruel smile and shook his head in amusement. "You're right, it looks good on you," he admitted, deep voice laced with that same, cold laughter. "Why don't you keep it for awhile?"

So Itachi did.

It also stood to reason, Akatsuki's powerful, ambitious leader explained, that if Itachi was planning on wandering the lands aimlessly anyway, he might as well head in the directions Akatsuki needed people to wander in. He wouldn't even have to do anything out of the ordinary; his only responsibility would be to dispose of anyone who got in his way.

Itachi wasn't ever really sure why he agreed in the end. Maybe it was because he was tired of searching for something he couldn't find. Maybe it was because he was tired of making all the decisions. But mostly, it was because Itachi was just _tired_.

Shortly after joining Akatsuki, the Uchiha was assigned a partner. While the concept of a traveling companion had displeased him at first, Itachi quickly discovered that Kisame was no ordinary partner. The missing nin of Hidden Mist was cold, violent, and obedient. He didn't ask questions, he didn't pry, and most importantly, he didn't care.

It was almost as if he wasn't there at all.

* * *

**Present...**

Naruto groaned softly as harsh light filtered in between his swollen, squinting eyelids. The ground underneath him was hard and cold, and when he coughed, several broken ribs moved painfully in his chest. As the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, the blonde turned his head weakly and spat, a strong feeling of déjà vu sweeping over his battered body.

Figures danced in and out of view; hard to focus on through a pounding headache he was fairly certain could be blamed on a concussion. Closing his eyes tiredly, the blonde considered calling out to Kyuubi, but knew he would receive no answer from the demon. Nor would he be receiving any of the fox's healing chakra: he was alone.

Briefly, Naruto tried to take inventory of his injuries, working from the toes up and attempting to figure out just how bad of shape he was in. Halfway though, he was forced to give the endeavor up as hopeless: so far he had filed away at least three broken bones, possibly four (he wasn't sure about his right leg), two burn marks (the skin still giving off a burnt smell from the branding iron), and countless cuts and legions, ranging from mild scrapes to the two-inch-deep slash running the length of his left thigh.

However, even as he established these injuries, new ones were being created from the merciless onslaught of fists, feet, kunai, bats, and other, unidentifiable objects that rained down on him. Grunting again as a particularly vicious kick connected with his jaw, the blonde spit out a tooth, before turning his blurry vision to his attackers once more.

He had left the camp as planned yesterday, wandering off on his own in the general direction of the hideout with several furtive glances backwards, giving the pretense of someone afraid he's being followed. The ambush, although expected, had actually managed to catch the blonde off guard: he hadn't expected them to strike so soon, and had intended on being closer to the hideout when they struck.

But it really didn't matter. The attack had been quick and efficient, and Naruto had found himself unable to put up as much of a fight as he would have liked: everything was just too organized. One minute he was throwing a rasengan at Tobi's head, the next he was waking up on the cold floor of the Akatsuki hideout, hands tied together and one ankle chained firmly to the ground to prevent his escape.

Not that he could force his beaten body to stand up anyway…

The torture and abuse had started shortly after his arrival; no terms demanded, no questions asked, just endless pain. And now, almost twelve hours later, the five men surrounding him showed no signs of slowing down.

The smell of burning flesh entered his nostrils before the pain in his back registered this time, and Naruto had a moment to draw a ragged breath before the white-hot agony flared just above the base of his spine, where a man he couldn't see was pressing the glowing tip of a branding iron. Somewhere in the back of the blonde's mind, even as a hoarse scream ripped its way from his tattered throat, he heard the sound of a heavy door creaking open, and two pairs of new footsteps approaching.

A cold voice spoke calmly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "That's enough for now. Leave us."

As he lay with his face pressed into the ground, gasping raggedly and choking back a sob, Naruto heard a rushed scuffling of heavy boots headed towards the squeaky door, and then there was silence. Reluctantly fighting against the enticing blackness that had begun to gather at the edges of his vision, he peered warily at the two newcomers, trying to distinguish their faces through the shadows.

* * *

**Flashback...**

Itachi woke up early, rising even before the morning sun. Several dim stars still shone brightly through the misty, predawn skies, and a thin layer of dew lightly dusted the grass below the tree he had spent the night in.

Funny how some habits die hard.

Glancing silently at the forest floor below him, his sharp eyes scanned the brush until they came across the stirring figure of Kisame. Satisfied, the Uchiha allowed his gaze to continue on, doing a quick sweep of their surroundings for any possible threats.

Satisfaction was an odd feeling. It wasn't warm like pleasure, or light hearted like happiness, nor was it cold and empty like apathy. Satisfaction was just…well Itachi wasn't sure what it was, only that his heart didn't seem to feel as detached or numb as it did years ago, during the days when he walked alone. Satisfaction was contentment. Satisfaction was peace.

Satisfaction was Kisame.

The Uchiha wasn't sure when it had happened. He wasn't even sure how it happened. But somewhere along the road, amidst all the nonexistent conversations, unshared dreams, and blood soaked battlefields, he had become accustomed to the shark shinobi's presence. It wasn't friendship. It wasn't even camaraderie. It was just the unexplainable contentment one derives from traveling the world with another soul; something Itachi had not felt for a long time.

Not since all those years ago.

Not since Shisui.

The two members of Akatsuki were currently returning to headquarters at the request of a top-priority message. Itachi had been fully prepared to ignore the scrap of paper, but Kisame had thought differently. The raven sighed.

For some strange reason, Kisame had this "thing" about orders: he always felt obliged to follow them. And, try as he might, Itachi had yet to break his partner of this annoying habit. Although he knew it was enabling, the Uchiha had decided to humor the other man's whim this time and return to the base without a fight. After all, it didn't really matter to Itachi _where_ they went, as long as they were _going_.

And there was also, of course, the actual matter that required their presence at headquarters. It seemed that the Kyuubi container had finally been captured, with the help of Orochimaru and his newest, Sharringan-wielding apprentice. All parties involved would be assembled by the time they arrived.

Alright, so maybe Itachi was a _little_ interested…

* * *

**Present...**

"Naruto-kun, it is good to see you again."

The Kyuubi-container lay on the floor silently, breath coming out in strained gasps as his lungs fought to expand against broken bones. Slowly his eyes drifted to the figure beside Itachi, a chill running down his spine at the familiar visage.

"I believe you have already met Hirohito? He _does_ have some talents that make him rather…memorable, doesn't he?" Itachi's eyes bore into the glassy cerulean ones relentlessly, his voice emotionless and cold. "It has been awhile since we last met."

Naruto still did not respond.

"Three years, if I am not mistaken."

The blonde closed his eyes tiredly.

"When last we met, I believe you-"

"What do you want, Itachi?" Naruto interrupted, his voice rasping weakly but the strength of his words still ringing in the cavernous room.

His question was met with silence, as Itachi blinked slowly and Hirohito remained still and stoic, aura radiating so powerfully it was making the blonde's stomach turn.

Finally, after several long minutes, Itachi spoke quietly, voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know." For the briefest of moments, Naruto thought he saw something almost…human pass across the Uchiha's face, but the emotion was almost immediately eliminated, replaced by the usual mask of apathy.

"This isn't new, this void. It was here many years ago, and even though I didn't know what I was searching for, I didn't really care." The raven drew silent for a moment, as if caught in a far-off memory. Shaking his head, swirling red eyes once again locked onto Naruto's pale face.

"But then, three years ago," he began speaking once again, still in the same cold, detached voice, "I thought I might be getting close. There was…something there, so close. And I think I almost understood…" He trailed off wistfully.

Minutes passed, time dragged by, but none of the figures in the dark room moved. Finally, a weak cough wracked Naruto's chest, causing him to gag and choke painfully. The action, while controlled and quiet, was enough to catch Itachi's wandering attention once more.

"No, I'm not sure what I want, Naruto-kun," he said slowly, blinking bottomless obsidian eyes, "but I do know one thing. Three years ago, you took something from me, and now something must be taken from you. There must be balance," he nodded distractedly to himself, "yes, there _must_ be balance. The rest will come after."

So it was the issue of Kisame's death, then. Naruto closed his eyes at this realization, Akatsuki's renewed interest in him and his resulting current situation finally becoming clear. The un-ambitious Itachi's new interest in leading Akatsuki was also beginning to make sense. Forcing his mouth to form the words, a croak escaped his lips.

"What do you _want_?" There was no fear, no anger in the boy's voice: only exhaustion and tinge of remorse.

A small, slightly unbalanced smile was his only response. "Do it, Hirohito," Itachi said softly.

The dark figure stepped forward.

* * *

**Flashback...**

Itachi wasn't sure when it fell apart. The plan had been going perfectly, flawlessly designed as usual.

He and Kisame had arrived just in time to begin the ritual, taking their places silently and forming the necessary seals. The power had been thick; heavy; violent. The process was long and tedious, taking much longer than any of the others.

Itachi had felt the presence of another Uchiha before Sasuke even entered the lair, piquing his interest and drawing his attention. What had his little brother been up to these past few years?

It turned out that Sasuke wasn't as different from Itachi as the boy claimed. As a child, Sasuke had looked upon his older brother in horror, asking him over and over, "Why?" Yet now, as a man, Sasuke stood before Akatsuki and committed the same ultimate betrayal he had condemned Itachi for all those years ago.

How ironic.

But then things started to go wrong. His little brother seemed to crumble in on himself momentarily, before exploding in some sort of inexplicable rage. Within moments, Kabuto was dead, Sasuke was gone, and the wall to their right exploded in a rain of stone and dust.

It didn't take Itachi long to determine that this was _not_ a good day to get in Tsunade's way, and Jiraiya didn't look to happy either. Following the "choose your battles" principle, the eldest Uchiha had turned to call Kisame, when his keen eyes spotted it: a tattered cloak, a blood-soaked chest, and a relinquished sword, broken in half and surrounded by scattered scales.

For many years, Itachi had thought that he was dead inside, but he was wrong. Because at that moment, some small, flickering light deep inside the raven's chest was snuffed out forever.

* * *

**Present...**

Itachi waited patiently as Hirohito's fingers flew, the man's face a mask of concentration as he focused on the complicated jutsu. Neither member of Akatsuki noticed the slit of cerulean watching the hands intently, catching every flick of the wrist and twirl of the finger before storing it safely away.

When the technique was finally ready, _three_ mouths curled upwards slightly in satisfaction.

Upon a nod of confirmation from Hirohito, Itachi stepped forward eagerly, pale hand reaching down to grasp the battered arm of the boy before him. His smirk grew wider as their flesh made contact, sending a shock of yellow energy through both of them.

Several things happened at once.

First, there was a loud explosion from the hideout's entrance, followed instantly by cries of surprise and the clash of weapons.

Second, a wave of sand began to swiftly swallow up every window and door, blocking all possible escape routes.

And finally, as Itachi finally forced himself into the very core of Naruto's consciousness, the raven's eyes snapped open in disbelief. Wrenching himself backward in horror, he scrambled to his feet, trembling in fury.

"You little…" he spat, rage creeping into usually apathetic tone, "This is not over Naruto-kun." He paused momentarily, a sadistic gleam entering his eye. "In fact, I think it's time to pay my dear little brother a visit. What do _you_ think?"

Naruto threw a hand out desperately, trying fruitlessly to grab at the raven's cloak, but it was too late.

Itachi was gone.

* * *

Gaara disposed of the men in his path with deadly grace, eyes never flinching or wavering from the limp figure he was quickly working his way towards. Stepping easily to the right so as to avoid an splatter of blood arcing from his latest desert coffin, the redhead threw a kunai nonchalantly over his shoulder, the projectile imbedding itself into the head a man preparing to strike him clumsily from behind. 

Finally reaching his destination, the Kazekage dropped lightly to his knees beside the tattered heap of human, stretching out strong hands to gently turn the figure over. He winced as the several of the bones beneath his careful grip shifted under the skin.

Naruto let out a whisper of a groan as he was turned, swollen eyes squinting up dazedly at the figure crouching over him. Struggling to focus and find his voice, he blinked slowly, fighting his way through the pain.

"No!" He suddenly cried out, body trying to rise but failing. "Sasuke! Look out, Sasuke, he knows!"

"Relax, it's me, Naruto." The redhead fought to reach the other boy, not wanting to shake him for fear of injuring him even more.

"He knows! Somebody…Sasuke…he's going to-"

"Naruto!" Gaara interrupted, placing his hands on either side of scarred cheeks to still their movement. "We know, Naruto. Kakashi is already on it." Making sure these words drifted into Naruto's consciousness, he tried his best to arrange the blonde comfortably on his back, ignoring the projectiles whistling overhead and the booms of explosions being set off in the background.

"Naruto?"

"G-Gaara?" The blonde squinted harder, as if not believing his ears. Finally managing to tilt his head awkwardly to the side and narrowing his eyes into slits, the broken ninja seemed to be able to make out his friend's face, his body visibly relaxing. Allowing a pained smirk to ghost over his features, he coughed deeply and splat blood. "What the hell _took_ you so long?"

Gaara rolled his eyes, taking in Naruto's wounds with a sense of disbelief. How anyone, even the Kyuubi vessel, could take such damage and still be alive stunned the sand nin. However, he was certain that in this condition, the blonde's tenacious hold on life would soon fade.

As if reading the redhead's thoughts, Naruto forced his shredded throat to move again. "I'm done, Gaara. There's nothing left for me to do here, no point in me staying." He tried to chuckle ruefully, but the noise ended in a painful gurgling in his lungs.

Gaara took in the broken bones, the bruises, the blood trickling from the corner of his friend's mouth, and the fading light in the cerulean eyes. Naruto was of course right. He was finished; there was no point in false hope.

"Are you ready?" He said calmly, his jaw set and his voice cold.

Naruto paused for a moment, chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. Finally getting enough air to speak, he turned his head to look straight up at the ceiling.

"Do it," he whispered hoarsely through cracked, blood-caked lips. As his breath hitched painfully in his chest, he finally allowed his heavy eyelids to slide shut in anticipation, ignoring the pained look on the face hovering above him.

Gaara knelt beside the battered shell of his friend for one more moment; heart aching at the request he had known was coming all along. However, the emotional hesitation was short lived, as the Kazekage quickly steeled his heart, squared his shoulders, and took a deep breath. Pulling an elegant dagger from his belt, he looked dispassionately at the boy before him, a flicker of remorse passing across his emerald eyes for only the briefest of moments before he raised the glittering weapon over his head.

"A safe journey, my friend," he whispered solemnly, squeezing the bruised shoulder of his best friend, brother, and savior. Then, in one fluid movement, he plunged the dagger into the dying boy's heart.

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_Gasp, choke. He_ _couldn't! He **wouldn't**! He **didn't**! ...Or did he? Stay tuned!_


	19. The Hunt Begins

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and the gang belong to someone else, I'm just borrowing them.

_(Backs away slowly from angry mob of Naruto-lovers) Ooookay...I'm reeeeeally sorry about that last chapter, I swear! (nervous laughter)...had to be done...please don't kill me...ahhhh!_

_Haha, thank you for your patience, and your reviews. As a reward (and a peace offering to the angry Naruto-fans) I have written you guys another nice, long chapter. Enjoy!_

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Sakura let out a sigh as she set down the tool from her med kit she had been polishing absentmindedly. Allowing her head to fall back lightly, she rested it against the trunk of the tree she was currently sitting against, ignoring the slight pain as the gnarled bark pulled at strands of pink hair.

Casting her green eyes upward, she watched the sun shining between the leaves above her. The light flickered as a light breeze whispered through them, causing small spots of sun to dance across the grass below. Farther up, white clouds sailed peacefully through the sky, heading for some unknown destination.

She suppressed a derisive snort. In her childhood, Sakura remembered how stories of danger and evil always took place during horrible storms, pouring rain, and roaring wind. But as she had grown up and participated in missions of her own, the kunoichi had soon discovered that usually, the most dangerous undertakings were not accompanied by cracks of thunder and lightening or trees bent double in the wind. In fact, more often than not, blood-soaked battlefields and fallen friends lay beneath cheerful sunshine and benign summer breezes.

For some reason, this carefree weather made Sakura's blood run colder than the angry storms. It was almost as if nature had forsaken them, and was illustrating just how insignificant their struggles and pain really were to the big picture. Proving that in the end, it was all meaningless.

Shaking these thoughts from her head fiercely, the rosette scanned the clearing for the hundredth time, spreading her chakra outward carefully. She felt it flow around the perimeter, lingering near the supplies to confirm their status remained safe and unchanged, and finally come to rest on the uneasy figure pacing fifteen yards away.

Edgy wasn't really the word. Tense didn't even begin to describe it. The anticipation and anxiety radiating off of Uchiha Sasuke was more like a storm than a state of mind. It seemed to Sakura that since Mother Nature hadn't felt the need to provide a dark, dramatic thunderstorm to symbolize their strife, the raven had taken it upon himself to create one of his own.

Thunder seemed to rumble with every step he took as he paced back and forth. An endless, heavy wind seemed to surround him as nervous fingers tugged at clothes and ran through raven locks. And then there was the lightening.

As if sensing her train of thought, obsidian eyes suddenly snapped up, meeting Sakura's emerald glance. She winced at the pain she saw flickering in their depths, the anger flashing, the helplessness just barely suppressed as it crackled beneath the surface. She wanted so much to comfort him, to say something soothing and reassuring. But she knew better.

There was only person who could sooth the Uchiha when he was in this mood.

Unfortunately, that person was usually the _reason_ the Uchiha was in this mood, and today was no exception.

Nobody had known if this plan was going to work. Even Naruto had voices his doubts, much to Sakura's surprise. During the meeting, he had seemed so confident, so sure of himself and his proposed the strategy. But after everyone had cleared out, and Sasuke had left to go over some of the finer points with Kakashi, the blonde shinobi had pulled Sakura to the side, out of view of everyone else. The following conversation still hung heavily in her memory...

* * *

**Flashback...**

Naruto's grip on her arm was gentle but firm, tugging her insistently into an empty room down the corridor and quietly latching the door behind them. "Naruto," she said sharply, losing patience as he ignored her and checked the lock.

"_Naruto_," she said again, with more force, "What is going on? What's wro-"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan." The blonde turned to face her, grinning sheepishly. Raising an arm to scratch at the back of his neck, he seemed to be searching for words, and alarms started going off inside Sakura's head. Classic Naruto signal: when the arm goes up, something's about to go down.

She was just opening her mouth questioningly when he interrupted again. "I need to tell you something, but you have to promise not to tell the others. _Especially_ Sasuke."

"Naruto, you know I can't promis-"

"_Please_ Sakura-chan." She was taken aback by the sudden seriousness she saw smoldering in cerulean depths, and her protest was silenced instantly. Although her friend usually feigned stupidity and enjoyed played the joker, Naruto knew when to be serious, and those who were wise followed suit quickly.

She sighed and nodded in agreement. "Alright, not a word."

"Even to Sasuke?"

"Even to Sasuke."

The boy visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Alright then," he said softly, flashing her a trademark Uzumaki grin. "It's probably nothing, and normally I wouldn't bother you with something small like this, but seeing as you are the team's medical ninja, and tidbits like this probably make your job easier, I figured-"

Her small amount of patience snapped as he contintued to babble, rubbing at his neck again. "Spit it out, Naruto!"

The hand dropped. Cerulean pinned emerald. "I've never tried this before, Sakura-chan."

She froze, eyes widening in surprise. For a minute she was sure he was joking again, but Naruto's face was serious. In fact, Sakura thought she detected a bit of nervousness or even fear in the boy's features.

"But…but in there you said…"

"I _know_ what I said, and in theory it should work. But that's all it is: theory. I've never actually tried this before, and I'm not sure what's going to happen. Probably, it will go exactly how I said, and I'll be fine, out with some nice bumps and bruises but overall intact. But…"

"But…" she pressed.

"But if something _does_ go wrong, and I can't get out, it might get a little…messy. I've already talked to Gaara, and he's agreed to end it if the worst should happen. I'm just telling you because if it _does_ fall apart and I _do_ end up…well, you know…I'm not sure what will happen to Sasuke, what with the mind link and everyhing. And somebody needs to be there…"

Sakura felt her eyes soften, a grin pulling at her lips despite herself. It figured that at a time like this, he would be worrying about Sasuke instead of himself. "Of _course_ I'll keep an eye on him," she affirmed with an endearing roll of her eyes.

He looked relieved, and nodded his thanks. "And remember, not a word. If he knew, he'd never let me go."

She nodded again. Reaching for the doorknob, the rosette suddenly turned back around to face her surprised teammate. Raising a fist, she sent him stumbling back several feet with a powerful jab to the chest.

"Hey! What was that fo-"

But she cut him off, jabbing a finger in his face as he blinked stupidly, eyes almost crossed in an attempt to focus on the imposing digit. "Uzumaki Naruto," she ground out, eyes flashing dangerously, "you had better come back in one piece, you baka."

Letting out a small of laugh, the boy straightened up to his full height, standing at attention. Bringing up one hand sharply, he gave her a mock salute. "Yes Ma'am!"

* * *

**Present...**

A small smile pulled at Sakura's lips at the memory, but it was quickly followed by a worried frown. '_Oh Kami, __**please**__ let him get through this like he always does_,' Sakura sent up a silent prayer, watching Sasuke as he dug his hands deeper into his pockets and stormed off towards the edge of clearing.

And suddenly it happened.

Sasuke froze, his body going rigid. One hand flew to his chest, a cry escaping the raven's throat, as the other hand clutched at his stomach. Then, in one fluid motion, the boy hit his knees, doubled over, and vomited into the grass below him.

"_Shit!_" Sakura was on her feet the moment Sasuke stopped, at his side the minute he began to fall, and was already holding his hair back as he emptied the contents of his stomach violently. Holding the raven's trembling body upright so he didn't collapse into a puddle of his out vomit, she spoke softly into his ear, her voice soothing but firm.

"Easy Sasuke, keep breathing, focus on my voice."

But Sasuke was past the point of being comforted. Hugging his chest tightly, he tried to pull away from her, hissing in pain as he mind was suddenly assaulted by images of torture, pain, and glowing red eyes. And even as the onslaught of images overwhelmed him, the actual, physical agony slammed into this body in waves, almost causing the bile to rise in his throat once again.

But the worst part, the thing his mind simply could not comprehend, was the last image that kept replaying itself over and over in his mind's eye. The blurry image of a descending dagger, the feeling of sweet release, and a part of his very being slipping away into oblivion.

"Naruto!" He choked as hysteria gripped him.

Vaguely, he was aware of hands on his shoulders, shaking him like a rag doll. "Sasuke!" The voice was loud, almost frantic. "Sasuke, snap out of it!"

But he couldn't obey. Naruto was gone. He was dead. It couldn't be. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't-

_SMACK_!

Obsidian eyes snapped open, the image of Sakura standing above him, chest heaving and arm raised, greeting his watering eyes. His left cheek stung painfully from the powerful blow, and he wouldn't be surprise if his teammate had fractured his cheekbone with the strike.

"Sasuke," her voice was low, commanding, and left no room for argument. "Listen to me. This mission is not finished, and we have work to do. I know that something bad has happened, but you aren't helping by falling to pieces. Get a hold of yourself, or you are going to endanger the other members of this team."

"Sakura, he-"

"I _know,_" she ground out, her voice dangerous and slightly emotional. "I'm going to go find him right now, but you need to get a grip first. We need to stick to the plan: go secure the perimeter."

He seemed about to protest again, but she cut him off. "Sasuke, _now_."

Finally recollecting himself from shock, he squared his shoulders, froze his heart, and forbid his mind to contemplate Naruto's whereabouts. Everybody else was doing their part, it was time that he did his. If for no other reason, he'd do it for Naruto.

Yes, he decided as he turned from Sakura and headed off into the forest. For Naruto.

* * *

Sakura felt like she was flying, her feet barely registering their contact with the as she rushed back to the med-pack. Flinging it over her shoulder, the kunoichi prepared to hurry to Naruto's side, but instead of heading towards the Akatsuki hideout, she turned instead to their pile of supplies. 

Swiftly navigating through the extra weapon pouches, the carefully wrapped supplies of food, and the pile of neatly stacked bedrolls, Sakura made her way towards Kankuro's spare puppet. Hefting the bundle in her arms, the kunoichi hurried back to the center of the clearing, laying her burden carefully in the grass.

Bringing her hands together quickly and closing her eyes in concentration, she carefully formed the seals the puppet master had showed her several days ago, muttering a few words under her breath, before finally snapping her eyes open.

"Release!"

Immediately, the bandages sprang away, unwrapping themselves quickly before fluttering silently to either side. There, resting amidst the grass and strips of white, lay the pale, still body of Uzumaki Naruto.

Sakura was at his side instantly. "Naruto?" She called hesitantly, shaking a limp shoulder gently. "Naruto can you hear me?"

The still body was unresponsive, and the cold fist in Sakura's stomach tightened.

Despite her fear, steady hands expertly checked the blonde's his vitals, resting gently on his neck. Eyes tearing up at what she found there, Sakura raggedly let out the shuddering breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as her fingers detected a rapid but strong pulse.

"Naruto," she choked, relief overwhelming her. "Come on Naruto, it's time to wake up. We need you."

Beneath her hands, the body suddenly seized, the back arching and the hips bucking upward. Cerulean eyes sprang opened only to scrunch close again almost instantly, an agonizing scream of pain tearing itself from his throat.

The sound terrified her, turning her blood to ice. Naruto shouldn't scream like that. No human being should ever scream like that.

But the agonized screams continued, the voice growing hoarse. Naruto turned onto his side, his body curling in on itself, going into a twisted fetal position. Blue eyes snapped open once again, glassy and unseeing, before the blonde's head suddenly reared and he retched violently, vomit and blood mixing in the grass beside him.

'_Well, we're two-for-two,_' Sakura thought to herself wryly as she held his shoulders, trying to prevent him from choking or hurting himself as he thrashed against her.

Naruto had told her it would be bad. Kakashi had warned her that it would be far worse than the blonde let on. But _nothing_ could have prepared her for this.

The blonde's body continued to shudder and convulse, cries of pain slowly dying away to quiet, muffled moans. In essence, it was a much more severe version of what had happened to Sasuke when Naruto's Kage Bushin had first been released, and Sakura found herself overtaken once again with a feeling of helplessness.

She had been somewhat skeptical when the blonde had first proposed the plan several days ago in Gaara's office. He and Jiraiya had been working on alterations to the Kage Bushin technique fore several months, and they had come up with several interesting adaptations.

The basic technique of Shadow Replication was not entirely that complicated. Basically, using a good deal of energy, Naruto generated copies of his actual body, splitting his chakra evenly among them. It had taken a while for the boy to work out an even balance, making it almost impossible for enemies to distinguish the original from the clones.

However, although the chakra was evenly spread out, the majority of Naruto's consciousness still remained in the original body, giving him more control over his clones' actions and allowing him to think clearly and devise strategies during battle. With no true mind or consciousness to hold onto, the body of a clone literally crumbled when an enemy landed a physical attack, and all of that clone's knowledge, memories, experience, and chakra immediately returned to the original body, or the "real" Naruto.

But suppose they changed that relationship. What would happen if the original body did _not_ retain the majority of consciousness? What if Naruto gave almost all of his chakra _and_ his consciousness to a clone instead?

With Kyuubi staying behind to maintain his actual body, the chance of physical harm would be slim. The clone, literally having a mind of its own, would be able to think and strategize, and ultimately act just as Naruto himself would. But the most exciting part, the blonde had said, his voice getting louder as he got to detail on which his plan hinged, was that the clone could now sustain a physical hit.

In fact, the clone could sustain a _multitude_ of actual hits. It could be punched, kicked, tortured (Sakura remembered Sasuke wincing at that word), or even killed (they had _all_ winced at _that_ word), and Naruto himself would remain unharmed.

It was the perfect espionage strategy, almost flawless. After obtaining the information he needed, in this case the hand seals used for the interrogation jutsu, Naruto would simply release the clone, absorb the memories, and report back to either Sasuke or Kakashi, who could then use their Sharringans to analyze the jutsu and figure out how to release it.

Of course, there really were flaws that Naruto had, as usual, failed to mention. The first was what Naruto had pulled Sakura aside to discuss immediately after the meeting. He was afraid that since the majority of his consciousness rested in the clone, his original body would go into a coma-like state and it would be impossible for him to release the jutsu until the clone ran out of chakra or was killed. If this was the case, one of his own teammates might have to destroy the body of the clone before Naruto could wake up, and the experience of his clone's death would put stress on both Naruto's mind _and_ the mind connected to it: Sasuke's.

However, later that night, Kakashi had approached Sakura with other problems he had seen in the strategy. What would actually happen when the clone was finally released, and all of its memories, experiences, and chakra suddenly returned to Naruto in one, huge blast? The boy would have to relive everything that had happened since the formation of the clone, starting from the most recent events and working his way back. While he would remember the seals, he would also have to experience all of the pain, torture, and possibly even death again.

And then there was Sasuke. No matter how many mental barriers they tried to raise between him and Naruto, the clone's release would ultimately hit him hard too. How would _he_ react?

Despite these questions, the plan had been accepted as their best choice given the situation, and was almost immediately put into action. Naruto retreated into his room to work out the kinks in his new jutsu, the rest of group packed and finalized plans, and within days, they were ready to head out.

On the day of departure, while the rest of the team congregated at the Sand Village Gates, Kankuro had walked casually to Naruto's room. The blonde carried out the jutsu without a hitch, his real body falling into unconsciousness as expected. The shadow clone and puppet master had then quickly unwrapped Kankuro's extra puppet, hidden it carefully away in the room, and put Naruto's body in its place. They had then left the room together, precious cargo safely riding on the Sand nin's back, and joined their teammates without further incident or suspicion.

While Naruto was dispatched alone, in charge of infiltrating Akatsuki's base by triggering a trap, Kakashi and the three Sand Siblings followed at a safe distance, ready to invade as soon as the blonde successfully memorized the interrogation jutsu's hand seals. Sasuke and Sakura stayed behind, guarding Naruto's real body.

Of course, Sakura had a second mission as well. Not only was she responsible for guarding the body; she would also be in charge of getting Naruto back on his feet quickly after the clone was released. And the rosette knew perfectly well that this would be easier said than done: after all, who could possibly recover quickly after experiencing their own death?

She was about to find out.

Naruto's frantic, pained thrashing had finally stopped, and his moans had grown silent. The blonde now lay silently, eyes still glazed over, chest rising and falling slowly as he stared blankly off into space. He winced as another memory came to him, and then slowly, a trembling hand reached up to gently touch his lips.

His mouth moved slightly, repeating two words over and over as if in a trance. "For later," he whispered softly, the memory of Sasuke's passionate farewell finally making its way from the clone's memory to his own. "For later…"

He clung to the words, to the memory, to the intense feeling of need, concern, and protectiveness. Naruto had tried so hard to protect Sasuke, to keep him from worrying and prevent him from discovering how much pain his friend would experience when the jutsu was released, but it seemed that, as usual, the raven was one step ahead. Somehow, he had known. And he had given Naruto an anchor to keep the blonde from being washed away in all the pain.

Holding onto that precious memory with everything he had, Naruto began to pull himself up from the darkness and pain. He could feel Kyuubi's concern in the background, helping his host strengthen his perilous grip, nudging him upward as warm, comforting tails of orange fire wrapped securely around his shivering frame.

"For later," Naruto murmured again. "Sasuke…"

Cobalt eyes snapped open.

"Sasuke!" Sasuke was in trouble. He had to tell him. He had to reach the boy before Itachi did!

However, even as he struggled to rise, strong arms held his shoulders down, and worried emerald eyes peered down at him in earnest. "Naruto?"

"Sakura," his voice cracked a bit, throat hoarse from yelling. Swallowing to wet the scratchy surface, he tried again. "Sakura, we have to hurry. Sasuke is in trouble."

"Shh, relax. Slow down, Naruto. Your mind has just received a shock, and I don't think you're ready to be moving around yet."

He waved a hand impatiently, dismissing her concerns as he fought once again to sit up. This time she let him, switching her grip to support him instead. His head pounded, the world spun, but Naruto stayed upward, gritting his teeth firmly. "There's no time for that right now, Sakura-chan." Turning to meet her confused eyes, he rested a calloused hand on her pale shoulder.

"It's Itachi," he said softly, holding her gaze and trying to transmit the urgency of the situation through eyes alone. "He got into my mind: I couldn't stop him. He felt that Kyuubi wasn't there, and he realized what was going on."

Sakura's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips.

"Sakura, he _knows_. And he is heading this way, as we speak. I think…" Naruto trailed off, hands clenching in trembling fists, "I-I think he's going to kill Sasuke."

The kunoichi was on her feet almost instantly, horror and disbelief flashing briefly on her face before being quickly stored away, replaced by determination and cool, collected confidence. Reaching down, she offered the blonde a hand, hauling him unsteadily to his feet. Within seconds, her medical supplies were repacked and situated securely over her shoulder in a small, canvas bag.

Tucking a stray piece of hair securely behind her ear, she nodded to Naruto. "Let's go."

He didn't need to be told twice. The two shinobi of Konoha headed off in unison, twin streaks of color that danced silently among the branches of trees. But even as their bodies sprinted forward, Naruto's mind was already miles ahead, searching frantically for a trace of the raven.

'_Sasuke!_' Naruto practically shouted through the mind link, trying not to panic. '_Sasuke, can you hear me? __**Answer**__ me, damnit!_'

He was answered only by deafening silence.

'_Relax Kit, we'll find him._'

'_I know, Kyuubi_' the blonde replied grimly, continuing to speed expertly along the treetops, '_I just hope we find him __**first**.'_

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_(Slumps back in her chair, rubbing sore, twitching fingers) This story is going to give me arthritis , I swear...anyway moving on..._

_Ah hah! There, you see! Naruto is **fine**, so everyone just chill :) **Sasuke** on the other hand...mwahaha...__So much drama in this chapter, it was **killing** me to have to keep everyone so serious...Oh well, Look for the next chapter in a few weeks. I promise, all the characters who have seemed to disappear these last few chapters will be back!_


	20. My Brother's Keeper

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Naruto's not mine

_(Holds up hands in front of her face to check)...yup, I'm still alive! Wasn't sure for a while there...__I'm **very** sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter. I had every intention of doing a lot of writing this summer, but alas, full time employment tends to suck all of the creativity and energy out of one's soul..._

_Anyway, now that my tedious line of work has finally come to an end, I was finally able to buckle down and complete chapter 20. Thank you all so much for being patient with me, and I hope it was worth the wait!_

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Kakashi wiped a bloody kunai against his dark pants, staring emotionlessly down at the body before him. The man hadn't put up much of a fight, partly because he had been caught completely by surprise and partly because he simply wasn't up to the usual Akatsuki standards.

'_Itachi must have been scrambling for new recruits_,' the jounin thought to himself wryly, '_this man was barely above chuunin level_.'

Quickly, Kakashi looked around to account for the rest of his team. To his left, Temari had already disposed of one nameless Akatsuki member and was moving onto her second. Just beyond the fierce wind kunoichi stood her brother, puppets chattering ominously as they zoomed at an enemy who seemed to be putting up more of a fight than his comrades. Still, Kankuro appeared to have things under control, so Kakashi continued his quick analysis of his team.

To his right, the silver haired man received a momentary pang of dread as he saw Gaara kneel beside a battered body displaying the telltale shock of blonde hair, and he found himself holding his breath as the Kazekage spoke softly for several moments. After pausing shortly to listen carefully to the other boy, Gaara nodded solemnly before slowly drawing a dagger from his belt.

Kakashi stood rooted to his spot, horror racing up his spine like ice as he watched the dagger begin to descend. Even though he knew exactly what was going on, and had been debriefed before setting out, the man couldn't quite stifle the anguish rising in his chest as he watched, transfixed.

As he stared at Naruto's bloody face smiling up at Gaara in relief, another familiar face flickered in front of Kakashi's eyes, and as this memory resurfaced against his will, the man felt his sharringan eye well up with the hot tears he was now accustomed to. His heart constricted painfully, his breath shortened, but suddenly it was over. The image of Naruto's dying form vanished with a familiar 'pop' and burst of smoke, the visage of Obito fading away with it.

"Gaara?" He asked carefully, inwardly pleased that his voice was still steady.

The redhead blinked up at him, something powerful reflecting in his emerald eyes for a moment before they suddenly hardened. Gaara rose gracefully, wiping at the dust on his clothes before looking back at Kakashi.

"He was beyond medical help; the only thing I could do was manually release the jutsu." Kakashi nodded in understanding, and the sand shinobi continued quickly on. "He said something about the Uchiha. I believe Itachi managed to get in his head, and fled moments before we got here, which means-"

"Sasuke!" Kakashi interrupted with a hiss, eyes narrowing. "_Damnit_. Can you-"

"Go," Gaara said simply, his shoulder rising in a shrug. "We can handle things here. Temari is already on her third, and Kankuro is working on his second." His eyes flickered away from his siblings, towards a different blonde at the back of the cave, and then returned to Kakashi. "Besides," he said calmly, a feral grin spreading across his features, "I have a little score to settle."

Kakashi nodded quickly, not wanting to waste anymore time. "Good luck then," he said, feeling a momentary flash of pity for the fate awaiting Deidara, before turning on his heel and dashing towards the exit.

* * *

He had felt the chakra approaching from the north border, causing all of the hairs on the back of his neck to rise instantaneously and red to leak into his pupils. Hands clenching into shaking fists, Sasuke poured on a little more speed, a growl fighting to escape his throat.

Him.

The youngest Uchiha had no idea how his brother had escaped the ambush, nor did he know why the man was suddenly headed straight for them. The _only_ thing Uchiha Sasuke knew for certain was that revenge for that horrible night so many years ago was within his reach, and it was going to taste sweet.

Dimly, in the back of his mind, the raven could feel a familiar presence tugging frantically, trying to reach him, attempting to say something, but it was too late: the Uchiha had already closed his mind to everything but the enemy quickly approaching, and as his old, familiar thirst for vengeance and blood began to take over, everything else began to melt blindly away into the recesses of his mind.

As his feet flew across the tall grass of a large clearing, Sasuke suddenly slid to a stop, his whole body tensing in anticipation as that horribly familiar chakra drew closer still. As he crouched low, eyes scanning the clearing's perimeter warily, he felt the other man slow down, coming to a halt several yards to his left, just out of his line of sight.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Sasuke forced himself to stand slowly, turning to face his hidden opponent calmly. When he spoke, his voice was steady and emotionless, betraying none of the turmoil and hatred bubbling within his chest. One word left his lips, seeming to hang for eternity on the wind.

"Itachi."

After an impossibly long minute of silence, there was a rustle of foliage, and a dark, familiar form stepped gracefully from the trees. Empty eyes stared impassively at the young man before them, a small smile causing thin lips to quirk slightly.

"Hello, little brother."

The last two remaining members of the Uchiha Clan stood for a moment, staring at each other in silence. The world around them seemed to grow still, the voices of the forest falling quiet, the whisper of the wind dying. For one eternal moment, the world came to a stop, as it often does when two irrevocably intertwined fates finally collide. And then, in a sudden flash, the moment came to an end, and the world exploded.

Afterwards, Sasuke would never be sure who moved first. All he could remember was that two pairs of sharingan eyes blinked, and suddenly they were both running, coming together in a clash of kunai before springing apart again, a flock of crows taking to the sky at the sudden commotion below.

The brothers collided three more times, taking time to circle each other calculatingly after each clash, each measuring the other's strength and reflexes carefully. No words were needed; no explanations were offered. They both understood exactly what had led them to this point, and the only thing left to do was fight.

Finally standing up straight, Sasuke took a deep breath and closed his eyes; it was time to get serious. Activating his sharingan, the younger man began to subtly stretch out his chakra, allowing it to engulf their surroundings fully before turning to face his brother again.

This technique was new; he had actually developed it during his spars with Naruto over the past few years. After battling an opponent so adept at fighting against the sharingan (Jiraiya had been coaching his apprentice in tactics to use against Itachi for years), Sasuke had realized that a head on gen jutsu was pointless; it was simply too easy to evade when you were expecting it.

After this realization, Sasuke had set to work on creating a different approach, experimenting with his sharingan and adjusting his tactics. Finally, the raven had discovered that by only using gen jutsu to slightly alter small aspects of their surroundings, such as the location of roots and the distances between trees, he could wrap his opponent in an illusion that was so similar to reality that it was almost impossible to detect. After the illusion had been cast, it was only a matter of time; eventually his opponent would take a bad step or misjudge a leap.

Of course, when fighting a shinobi at a level as high as Naruto's, these slips would usually result in nothing more than a flicker of confusion or a slight hesitation in a step. However, Sasuke had quickly become adept at taking advantage of these small but exceptionally valuable openings. Against Naruto, these opportunities were sometimes enough for Sasuke to land a finishing blow; against Itachi, they would probably be the only thing that kept him alive.

The lethal attacks began to fly, predictable while deadly from both sides. Sasuke furiously charged at his brother, accompanied by a barrage of kunai, only to barely swerve in time to miss an answering wave of shuriken. However, even as the metal weapons met with a clash, Itachi found himself wrapped tightly in strong wire that bit sharply into his arms.

Sasuke watched with minimal surprise as his brother's form bent and melted away into a hundred flapping crows, wings razor sharp and beady eyes piercing. Unfortunately for Itachi, the birds had barely gotten a chance to rise into the sky before they were engulfed in a giant ball of fire blown from his younger brother's mouth.

As the older Uchiha's figure suddenly flickered before reappearing directly behind Sasuke, kunai raised in a display of terrifying speed, it suddenly happened; his left foot rolled slightly to the left and his body swayed minutely to readjust his balance. To anyone watching the battle, Itachi's movement would have been unperceptible, but his hesitation provided his younger brother with all the time he needed to escape, reappearing on the opposite side of the clearing, a smug smile on his face.

Sasuke watched Itachi's face contently, noting with satisfaction how the older man blinked slowly, carefully masked confusion flitting across his passive face as he stared down at a root that had not been present on the forest floor seconds ago. For a moment, it looked as if Itachi was questioning his own sight, and based on some of the reports that had reached Konoha of late, Sasuke suddenly realized that his brother might very well be doubting his vision.

However, after another moment, the confusion vanished, and was replaced by a vague air of suspicion. Itachi began to carefully scan the clearing, as if sensing something was amiss, and Sasuke found himself charging again, valiantly trying to distract his brother from discovering the only thing that was giving Sasuke the upper hand in this battle.

There was a clash of metal on metal again, and Sasuke clenched his teeth in murderous determination. As far as he was concerned, this fight was far from over.

* * *

Naruto felt every muscle in his body sing as chakra surged through it, the branches below his feet cracking under his powerful steps. Next to him, Sakura was doing her best to keep up, but as red began to bleed into Naruto's eyes, transforming them into Kyuubi-like slits and signaling an even greater increase in chakra and speed, it became obvious that she was slowing him down.

"Sakura-"

"Go. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He didn't even bother answering. In an instant he was gone; his form becoming a blur as it shot ahead. '_Hang on Sasuke, just hang on._'

In the back of his mind, Naruto registered another familiar chakra signature approaching from the west. On his current path, Kakashi would soon be intercepting Sakura's route, and the blonde couldn't suppress a wave of relief at the idea of reinforcements.

* * *

There was a crash in the shrubs at the opposite side of the clearing, which drew the attention of the two warring brothers. Itachi squinted questioningly, and Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows, both trying to see what or who had interrupted them.

"Sasuke!"

The younger Uchiha cursed as the dobe stumbled from the brush, relief flickering across the blonde's tense face as he saw the raven still alive. Of all the people…Sasuke did not want that baka here. Naruto would just…

'_Thank Kami…so worried,' _the blonde's words echoed loudly through his previously numb, closed mind, causing the raven's heart to constrict painfully.

'… _Complicate things…' _Sasuke's mind finished in exasperation. '_**Damnit**_.'

"Naruto, get the hell _out_ of-"

"Look out!"

Despite all his training, all of his warrior instincts and inborn talent, Sasuke found himself incapable of doing anything but stand there, blinking dumbly as chaos erupted on all sides of him. Naruto, in what appeared to be a blur of orange lunacy, had flung himself forward, careening towards Sasuke with a look of horror on his face.

However, it soon became clear that the blonde's true target was actually ten inches to the raven's right: it seemed Itachi had grown bored with the conversation, and picked up where he left off. The kunai in his pale hand was rushing towards Sasuke's midsection, and even as the younger man moved to block it, he knew he'd never do so time.

Naruto's body collided with Sasuke's shoulder with a sickening crunch, sending the blonde and both Uchihas tumbling to the ground. The three grown men landed in a very unshinobi-like manor, limbs tangled and bodies struggling.

Sasuke fought his way to his feet first, spine prickling at the waves of sheer power rolling off the two struggling figures before him. Moments later, Naruto and Itachi were also on their feet, still locked in combat as they struggled to separate from one another.

While Itachi's sharingan whirled furiously as the stoic man activated his gen jutsu, curls of red chakra were flickering around Naruto's outline, Kyuubi's chakra effectively preventing Itachi's images from taking over his host's mind. Even as horror clawed in the pit of his stomach, Sasuke could not prevent the wave of awe washing over him as he watched the scene, transfixed.

Shaking himself from this momentary trance, the youngest Uchiha gritted his teeth in irritation. He was _not_ going to let Naruto fight this battle for him; Itachi was _his_. Angry with the blonde for barging in, and even angrier with himself for letting the dobe distract him, the raven let rage course freely though his veins. No matter how much he hated Itachi, sometimes his brother was right: caring about people ultimately left your vulnerable. Summoning chakra into his arm, Sasuke activated chidori with a screaming crack of lightning, before crouching low and clenching the muscles of his legs in anticipation.

'_Move_.' He commanded mentally, voice laced with absolute fury as his red eyes locked on Itachi. Hearing the terrifying tone, Naruto glanced at him in surprise, before hurrying to comply and get out of the way. Finally untangling himself from Itachi, he gathered chakra into his feet and lunged to his left with all his might; Sasuke had already begun to sprint forward.

Sasuke felt his blow glance off Itachi's side as his brother spun quickly; he would not have been able to follow the movement at all had it not been for his whirring sharingan. The older man's eyes narrowed in annoyance as pain flared dully in his side, surprised that he'd actually been hit. Even as Itachi sprang away from his younger brother, Sasuke was matching his moves step for step, his furious red eyes following him intently as he rained blow after blow down upon him.

Irritation at this inconvenience growing steadily, Itachi felt his temper flare, and his eyes ached with the desire to use the mangekyo sharingan. Fighting against this temptation, the raven quickly searched the clearing for a different way to end this fight quickly; he was not ready to go blind quite yet.

Cold eyes landed suddenly on the crouching figure of Naruto, who was following the battle intently from a nearby tree, clearly torn between his desire to help and his fear of getting in the way. As a realization suddenly dawned on Itachi, he felt a pleased smirk flit across his features.

"You know, Sasuke," he spoke softly as he blocked a barrage of kunai easily and threw one of his own, "the clan that gave birth to the Uchihas is predisposed to believe in fate and destiny, but our clan has always been different. The Uchiha's didn't like the idea that they weren't in control of their own lives, and I have to admit, I'm prone to agree."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sasuke growled impatiently.

"I simply believe that life is made up of many of little choices," Itachi suddenly sprang forward, his lips inches from Sasuke's ear, "and you're about to make an important one."

Sasuke froze. He wasn't sure what his brother meant, or where he was even going with this, but the tone of Itachi's voice had just sent ice down his spine: it was the same voice he used on the night of their clan's untimely demise.

Before Sasuke's stunned mind could grind back into gear, Itachi was already moving towards his new target. Moments later, time seemed to slow for Sasuke as all the parts of the puzzle snapped seamlessly into place. His eyes moved effortlessly over each piece in rapid succession…

_Click: _Sasuke's father bragging to their relatives about how quickly his eldest son could pick up new jutsu.

Click: Sasuke's own satisfaction upon discovering that his new brand of nin jutsu worked well against Naruto. 

_Click_: the suspicion in Itachi's face after discovering the invisible root several minutes ago.

Click: The blond lingering hesitantly at the clearing's edge. 

Although it only took a fraction of a second for these jumbled facts to assemble themselves, Sasuke was already rushing forward before the last piece slid into place. One glance around showed him all the proof he needed: to his right, Itachi's sharingan whirled purposefully; to his left, Naruto was preparing to leap for the next branch of his tree, a jump Sasuke was willing to bet he had drastically misjudged.

'_Naruto, watch out!_' Even as he thought it, he knew it was pointless; Naruto had already lept, and it was too late to change course now.

But there was still one piece missing, chewing at the back of Sasuke's mind as he desperately tried to reach his brother. Itachi had spoken of a choice; something _Sasuke_ would have to choose. What could he possibly choose at a time like this? He wouldn't even reach them in time!

Another voice in Sasuke's head commanded him to shut up. '_Who cares_!' it shouted bitterly, yelling for him to focus, '_You have bigger things to worry about than your brother's damn riddles!_' Agreeing full heartedly, Sasuke gave one final lunge forward, intending to intercept Itachi before the man reached Naruto.

And in that instant, as his sharingan spun furiously, Itachi turned his face to give his brother an unreadable smile. As Sasuke watched in confusion, Itachi held his eyes, engulfed his left arm in a perfectly executed chidori, and slowly brought it back into a position that Iruka sensei had berated every single student at the academy for using at one point or another. The stance was fundamentally flawed; even a genin would not be stupid enough to use it, for one simple reason:

Itachi had just presented Sasuke with an entirely open and undefended side.

For the briefest of moments, even as he grimly activated his own chidori, Sasuke was swallowed by bewildered at his brother's obviously intentional mistake, as well as excitement for the possibilities it opened to him. However, when Itachi suddenly swerved to the side, a sickening feeling rose in Sasuke's stomach as he finally realized what was about to happen.

Naruto was freefalling. Itachi was closing in on his now helpless prey. And Sasuke finally saw his choice.

Due to Itachi's sudden change of direction, there was no way for Sasuke to get between his brother and Naruto. He would either have to try to push his friend out of the way, or he would have to hit Itachi with a chidori and risk his brother's momentum being great enough to land the intended attack on Naruto. If he chose Naruto, they would both be left in a vulnerable position, and most likely be killed in seconds. But if he chose Itachi…was it worth losing Naruto in order to rid the world of Itachi and avenge his fallen clan?

Even though anger and guilt flared deep in his gut at the fact that he even had to _consider_ this matter, Sasuke still found himself sickeningly torn. Those cerulean eyes from his past that still haunted him at night were now starting beseechingly at him, finally realizing what was happening. As Naruto held Sasuke's eyes, the raven felt as if he had been sent back in time to that horrible day three years ago. The memories of betrayal flashed sharply, the strong desire to do it differently this time clawed at his throat, but still…

As deeply as he cared for Naruto, the timeless, familiar hatred for Itachi bubbled just below his surface. He could hear the long lost voices of his clan calling to him, seeking vengeance; demanding loyalty. His mother's kind eyes seemed to peer at him pleadingly, while his father's proud voice boomed in his ears, "You are my son."

Crimson light flashed before Sasuke's eyes, freeing him from Naruto's hypnotizing gaze. Gone, they were all gone. Red eyes hardened before swiveling murderously towards Itachi. It was _his_ fault. He _had_ to pay! As the rage and thirst for revenge began to consume him, Sasuke discovered that he felt no guilt, only excitement and a sort of electric thrill.

Yes, he _had_ to pay.

* * *

Kakashi and Sakura burst into the clearing together, chests heaving in unison, as they scanned the area quickly. Sakura spotted the three figures first, a horrified gasp catching in her throat. At the sound, Kakashi's eyes immediately followed her gaze, and he felt a wave of ice rush down his spine as he tried to deny the truth before his eyes.

"Sasuke…no," Sakura whispered in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes as Kakashi rushed forward, and for the first time in her life, the rosette saw her sensei's eyes flash with a look of unconstrained fury.

Fifty feet in front of them lay three prone figures. The smell of burnt skin clung heavily to the surrounding air, the remnants of a chidori still sizzling feebly around the pale arm that was impaling Uchiha flesh. Pinned beneath the brothers' weight, his unmistakable orange jacket soaked through with dark blood, Naruto's eyes seemed to stare up at Sasuke through a layer of foggy glass.

Fighting for each ragged breath, the blonde felt a single tear escape, sliding slowly down a whiskered cheek. "Sasuke," he croaked, the last bit of the air escaping his lungs, "why…?"

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_Ah noooo, it's deja vu! __Hopefully, the next chapter won't take as long to post as this one did, but please be patient! _

_It is with some sadness that I inform you that It's All in Your Head is drawing to a close. The next chapter will probably be my last, and I hope you all stick around for the conclusion. Until then, I look forward to hearing any and all comments or questions (reviews motivate me, so please take the time to drop me one!)_


	21. The Sun Sets

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** I'm just borrowing them, they aren't mine!

_Alright, I know I said I was going to post the last chapter quickly, but I ran into a few snags. First, the evil writer's block monster came and plopped down next to my computer for weeks, refusing to go no matter HOW many cookies I offered him...then I couldn't fit everything I wanted in the final chapter without making it sound rushed...and THEN the technical problems with ffnet began..._

_To make a long story short, the end has finally arrived. I ended up splitting the last chapter in two (chapter 21 and an epilogue), but since I promised you that my next post would be the last, I've decided to post them both at once. Consider this "double chapter post" your bonus for being so patient!_

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As Kakashi watched the raven stagger upright, he was surprised at the sheer ferocity of the hatred boiling in his chest. He stared disbelievingly into the eyes of a young man he had once regarded as an ally; a comrade; almost a brother. But now…

As crimson eyes blinked blankly at Kakashi, the jounin thought he detected a flash of emotion akin to remorse, but as the raven turned to look at the crumpled form of his brother, his features immediately became smug and triumphant. Looking back to the silver-haired shinobi before him, he allowed a feral grin to spread across his face. "Vengeance," he murmured, closing his eyes slowly to savor the sound of the word.

"You _bastard_!" A hoarse voice suddenly shrieked from behind Kakashi, and both men turned in surprise to see a white-faced Sakura trembling with rage, tears streaming down her face. "How _could_ you! How could you betray us? Betray _him_?" She shook her head angrily against the onslaught of disbelief, her words rough and laced with both hatred and anguish. Clenching her hand into a shaking fist, her emerald eyes sparked murderously.

"I'll fucking _kill_ you!"

A gloved hand shot out deftly, a battle-scarred arm wrapping firmly around the fierce young woman's stomach as she tried desperately to lunge forward.

"Sakura." The arm's muscles strained with effort.

"Let me _go_!" The kunoichi struggled furiously against Kakashi's restraining arm, chest heaving and breath coming out fast as every lesson Tsunade had ever taught her about responsibility, restraint, and level-headedness on the battlefield vanished in a wisp of smoke. "I'm going to _KILL_ him!"

"Sakura-"

"No!"

"_Sakura_!" The rosette finally paused, shaken from her blind rage by the tone of her teacher's voice. He grimly maintained his restraining grip, fingers biting uncomfortably into her skin as she met his eyes defiantly for a moment. However, at the expression on her previous mentor's face, the kunoichi suddenly allowed herself to go limp, conceding to his grasp.

"Kakashi-sensei," she spoke softly, stunned by what she saw on his usually impassive face.

But the older shinobi was not looking at her anymore. Having assured himself that she had composed herself, Kakashi had already turned back towards the solemn figure before them. Eyes never leaving the raven, he spoke in an eerily soft, calm voice.

"Sakura, your talents are needed elsewhere. _I_ will deal with him."

"But-"

"_Go_."

Biting back her protest and her angry tears, Sakura forced the medical part of her brain to accept the truth in his words, and with a final nod, she straightened up, pulled away from his now loose arm, and hurried towards the two fallen figures. She didn't even stop to watch as the two shinobi disappeared into the trees above in perfect, deadly unison.

* * *

Naruto stared blankly at the sky, eyes glazed with shock and confusion. The world around him seemed to be engulfed in a thick fog, little bursts of feeling and awareness reaching him one moment and disappearing the next. 

The blonde's lungs screamed for oxygen, but some reason he couldn't bring air into them regardless of how hard he tried. His efforts only resulted in pangs of pain throughout his chest, and increased the sense of urgency as his vision threatened to black out.

Somewhere far off, a woman's voice was screaming in anguish, and even as he lost his battle to draw in breath, Naruto felt his heart go out to the person whose voice was so full of pain. The cries seemed so familiar, and yet…he just couldn't place them.

Taking a particularly violent gasp of air, the blonde feared for a moment that something in his chest was going to pop with the tremendous effort and force. Instead, the pressure was suddenly released, and Naruto found himself choking as much-needed oxygen poured into his screaming lungs. Gulping the air greedily, he fought to catch his breath, finally summoning enough strength to roll onto his side. As he moved, the heavy weight of an object he hadn't even been aware of slid to the side, and the blonde rejoiced as breathing became even _more_ easy.

Still dazed, Naruto tried desperately to understand his situation. His chest throbbed, his vision was still slightly blurred, and the coppery tang of blood filled his mouth. Panic began to rise in his chest again, increasing rapidly as his eyes blinked uncomprehendingly at the blood staining his shirt, blossoming unopposed across the fabric.

Something was wrong…something was horribly wrong. But it wasn't the blood, or the pain, or the difficulty of breathing that was causing the blond confusion: he had experienced all of these injuries before; had been carried home by various teams and pieced back together by Tsunade countless times…

And that was _exactly_ what was wrong. Naruto had been through all of this before, and the simple fact of the matter was that his injuries were not adding up. Breathing was difficult, but he was fairly certain that it was getting better instead of worse. His mouth tasted like copper, but a quick investigation with his tongue revealed that he had simply bitten cleanly through his lip. And his chest hurt, but the pain wasn't intense enough to have caused the frightening amount of blood that was seeping endlessly though his clothes.

The fog in his mind was finally clearing, and as he struggled to sit up, he silently asked the only question left to answer:

If the blood wasn't _his_, than whose _was_ it?

And then it hit him; the memory of what happened only moments before, of how he had come to be in his current position. Sitting up straight, now painfully aware of his surroundings, cerulean eyes searched desperately before falling on the limp figure lying next to him.

For one agonizing moment, Naruto was unable to breathe once again, panic racing through his veins as he stared numbly at the raven's crumpled form. Then, as if waking from a deep sleep, the blond suddenly shook off his shock and sprang into action. Rising quickly to his knees, he pulled the fallen Uchiha's head into his lap with shaking hands, horrified tears pricking at his eyes as he clumsily fumbled to put pressure on the raven's gaping chest wound.

"Sasuke, you-…why did you...?" His voice was hoarse, barely audible as he stared down at the abused body that had leapt in front of him only moments earlier. The other boy stirred slightly at the sound, a smug smile tugging weakly at the corner of his mouth.

"Hn, dobe." The familiar voice spoke in a painful whisper.

But the other boy only shook his head furiously, giving the raven's shoulder a violent shake.

"_WHY_!" Naruto was fighting hard against the tears now, shock and terror overtaking his mind. He didn't know why he was shouting; why he was suddenly so angry. It was as if that same, horrible scene from their first mission with Haku was repeating itself, and as he sat there with a fallen comrade in his arms, the meaningless explanations of "I don't know" and "It just happened" were not enough.

They would _never_ be enough.

Obsidian eyes pulled themselves open heavily, meeting cerulean carefully for a long moment before pain and fatigue took over and forced them to close once again. The ghost of a smirk was gone, replaced by a small frown as Sasuke struggled to explain; to _make_ the dobe understand. Frustrated that he lacked the energy to speak, the raven's frown increased, and he tried another approach.

Although the wounded boy's lips never uttered a word, Naruto suddenly heard Sasuke's voice clearly echoing through his head.

'_Three years ago, I was forced to make a decision between two people, and I chose the wrong one._' There was a long pause, and while the raven's eyes remained closed, they still seemed to be pinning Naruto with an intense gaze.

'_I swore that would __**never**__ happen again._'

"Sasuke," Naruto choked out, tears no longer restrained but rolling freely down whiskered cheeks.

"I _swore_." The last two words were spoken aloud, just above a whisper, but carried more power and vehemence than any silent conversation ever could.

The blond sat, stunned, as the raven grew silent, breath hitching painfully but expression taking on a satisfied, almost…triumphant look. His fingers tightened protectively around Sasuke's body, holding onto the raven so hard that he would probably leave bruises, but he didn't care.

He would _not_ let Uchiha Sasuke slip through his fingers again.

* * *

Kakashi skidded to a halt as the figure in front of him slowed. Warily, the two sharingan wielders faced one another, each balancing lightly on the branches of different trees. Surprisingly, it was Itachi who broke the silence first. 

"How many times will you and I have to relive this fight, Kakashi-san? Over and over you insist on facing me alone, and over and over I leave you and your inferior eye defeated."

Something stirred deep within Kakashi at these smug words. Perhaps it was the memory Naruto's dying shadow clone had conjured back in the cave, maybe it was just Itachi's inherent ability to get under his skin, but the older shinobi suddenly found himself grinding his teeth sharply to maintain control.

"Inferior? This eye of mine comes from a Uchiha who was twice the shinobi you'll ever be, and I place my trust in him more fully than I ever did in you."

"A wise choice, it would seem." Itachi smirked condescendingly. "But loyalty is a trick any dog can learn, Kakashi. To assume that the eye of a thirteen year old could ever rival the power of my own, regardless of its original owner's bloodline, is laughable. And even if it could, your body lacks the Uchiha blood necessary to support the sharingan's true power."

Kakashi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and for a moment found himself lost in a familiar memory. When he finally turned to face Itachi once more, a new passion flickered in his eyes, one that had not been seen for many, many years.

"The power of my sharingan doesn't come from the eye, and it doesn't come from me. It is the _combination_ that draws out true strength." Itachi remained silent, an amused and skeptical look planted firmly on his face, and Kakashi found himself changing tactics, going for an approach even Itachi's warped mind could understand.

"Answer me this, Itachi. When the mangekyo sharingan finally destroys whatever's left of your vision, and your eyes finally fail you, where will you be? What good is a Uchiha without his sharingan? A mere fire-breather? Those are common at any low quality circus, and hardly something to regard with respect." The silver-haired shinobi took a moment to enjoy the pulsating vein bulging in Itachi's temple before continuing.

"But even if _my_ sharingan fails, regardless of the care and respect I treat it with, the loss will not destroy _me_. True, the power I am left with will never be as great as when we were combined, but I will still have something to hold on to. What will _you_ have?"

Now the smugness in Itachi's face was gone, replaced by cold, quiet fury. The raven held Kakashi's eyes for several long moments, before finally shrugging and flicking a piece of ebony hair from his eyes.

"It's seems you maintain your usual over confidence in your abilities. Perhaps you will see how misplaced this confidence is after I crush you. Remember, Kakashi-san, this is not the first time we have fought, and for all your talk, your history of failure and weakness speaks louder than any words ever could."

"The last time we fought, your eyes were not failing and your body was not weary from a battle with your brother. I would venture to say that today, we are evenly matched."

"Hn."

Kakashi crouched low to the branch in anticipation, Itachi mirroring his movements. Narrowing his scarred eye in a whirl of obsidian and crimson, the silver haired jounin began to reach for one of the numerous pockets of his vest. The time for talking was over.

As he watched his opponent warily, Kakashi was surprised to discover an uncertainty of which really _would_ prove stronger: blood and power, or comrades and loyalty? It seemed the answer was about to be determined by the bloodly light of a setting sun.

* * *

Vaguely, Naruto was aware of Sakura skidding to a halt next to them, sending up a spray of pebbles and dust. The rosette's hands moved in a flurry of movement, glowing a furious shade of green that was matched only by the incensed hue that had taken over her grim eyes.

He watched her hands with a numb sense of fascination, not really comprehending anything that was happening around him but unable to look away. Suddenly, he jumped with a start as an intense feeling of heat surged through his veins.

Looking up he found himself trapped in Sakura's stern gaze as she withdrew her finger from his arm and returned it over Sasuke's chest. "Naruto," she ground out as sweat tricked down her forehead, her attention returning to her deathly white patient, "I'm too busy to save you if you start going into shock, so snap out of it. Besides," she grunted with the effort of maintaining whatever powerful medical jutsu she was performing, "I'm going to need your help."

Naruto was instantly alert, his numb trance broken. "Just tell me what to do," he said with grim determination.

Sakura nodded tersely, glancing quickly to appraise the state he was in. "First thing's first," her eyes flickered from Sasuke to Naruto's bloodstained shirt and back again, "are _you_ badly hurt?"

"No," he swallowed furiously at the lump in his throat, "this is all Sasuke's."

She nodded, although the grim look in her eyes did not seem to lighten. On the contrary, she seemed to become increasingly worried with the knowledge of how much blood her patient had already lost.

"Itachi's chidori went straight though his chest. Thank Kami it missed his heart, but I think it punctured his left lung, along with ripping through ribs, muscles, and some pretty big arteries. The only reason he hasn't bled out already is because I'm holding three chakra clamps over the worst areas of blood loss."

Naruto nodded to show he was paying rapid attention, despite the queasy feeling rising in his stomach. "What do you need me to do?"

The rosette raised a shoulder to wipe at some of the sweat over her brow, eyes never leaving the still heavily bleeding wound. "I don't have enough chakra to hold these clamps for long, and even if I did, he is still going to bleed to death unless I start fixing some of the other areas."

Naruto paled, but struggled to keep up with Sakura's rapid explanation. "Can you use my chakra if I transfer it to you?"

Sakura sighed in frustration, the green glow surrounding her hands wavering for a moment before steadying itself. "In theory, yes, but that will only solve one of the problems. We still need to fix the rest of the wound; holding the clamps will only postpone the inevitable."

"So what do we do?"

"You need to hold the chakra clamps for me."

"WHAT!" Naruto's voice was strangled, and he stared at his friend as if she had sprouted a second head. "Sakura-chan, I am not qualified to do anything like that! The only time I've ever used a medical jutsu was when Ero-Sennin tried to teach me how to remove a splinter, and I almost _amputated_ his entire left arm!"

"You just need to keep a tighter control over your chakra; precision is the key.

"Maybe you've forgotten this small fact, but there is a LEGENDARY DEMON living inside of me: chakra precision is _not_ exactly one of my strong points!" Anger and frustration flickered across his face as he glared at his friend, but she matched his gaze evenly.

"Well it had better _become_ one, and fast," Sakura snapped, her fiery eyes boring into his angrily, "Because in five minutes, Sasuke is going to be dead."

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_Dun dun duuuuun...last cliff hanger of the story (sniffle). Luckily for you the epilogue is already up, but don't forget to tell me what you thought of this chapter, too!_


	22. Epilogue: The Sun Rises

**It's All in Your Head**

**Disclaimer:** Not mine

_I already gave you guys the run-down in the last chapter, so I won't slow you down with my usual long-winded opening comments. However, I would like to point out that many chapters ago, __I promised one of my loyal readers I would try to include a certain character in this story...well it took some finagling__, but he's in there! Enjoy!_

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"I'm going to _kill_ him! No, I'm going to kill _both_ of them!"

"Not if I get my hands on them first."

"I-…what?" Jiraiya turned to blink in astonishment at the man beside him, the outburst from Konoha's normally good-natured schoolteacher stopping him mid-rant.

"Oh _enough_, you two. Naruto wasn't even critically hurt for Kami's sake."

"Yes, but he…he…" Jiraiya sputtered, face growing purple with the indignation of it all.

"And Kakashi was responsible for…he should have _known_ better than to…" Iruka eagerly picked up where the white-haired sennin left off, but seemed to run into just as much trouble trying to articulate his frustration.

"Naruto is a baka and Kakashi is an irresponsible genius who insists on disregarding the rules governing shinobi behavior. That's the way things have always been, and considering the likelihood that they will eventually both become Hokages, all the muttered grumbling from you two seems extremely pointless." Tsunade placed her hands on her hips, shooting a stern look at the two men before her.

Jiraiya was the first to back down, throwing his arms into the air with a cry of exasperation and mumbling under his breath about "damn _generations_ of students who are more trouble than they're worth". It was Iruka who, to Tsunade's surprise, stubbornly held the Godaime's gaze.

Heaving her own sigh, the fierce woman fought the urge to smile. It would seem that after facing the power of so many generations of Konoha's youngest rebels, Iruka's students were finally starting to rub off on him. However, after several minutes, the teacher's gaze softened and he gave a small, weary sigh.

"Please, Tsunade-sama, I just want to see him."

She held his gaze for one more calculating minute, before finally allowing the small smile to make itself known. "Alright, Iruka, but fifteen minutes only. Naruto's body and chakra is completely exhausted."

"And Kakashi?" A flash of defiance returned to those brown eyes, but Tsunade was determined to stay firm on _this_ point.

"Not today."

"But-"

"Kakashi is still in critical condition. Until he has been completely stabilized, no one except the medical staff is authorized in his room." Her eyes narrowed as Iruka's mouth began to open in protest, and effectively cut him off. "This matter is not open for debate, and if you push it you won't be visiting Naruto, either."

Feeling satisfied at the ugly glare she received, Tsunade smiled sweetly and stepped to the side, gesturing Iruka into the doors she had previously been blocking. He walked through them without a word, disappointment over Kakashi immediately being replaced with concern for the boy who had practically become his surrogate son.

"Will he be ok?"

The Fifth looked up at the question, studying her now-serious friend solemnly. Jiraiya waited patiently for her answer, all humor gone from his crimson-streaked face.

"Which one?" Her voice was laced with fatigue, the strain of a stressful night's work clear on her face.

"All of them."

Rubbing at her eyes, Tsunade leaned tiredly against the wall, ticking the names off on long, elegant fingers. "Naruto's fine physically, other than being completely exhausted," her face darkened slightly, "but mentally…well who _knows_ how much stress that experimental technique caused him. It could take a while for him to fully recover."

Jiraiya only nodded, his eyes dark and solemn as he hung carefully to each of her words.

"Kakashi is still in critical condition; while I agree with Sakura that the move from Sand was necessary, the journey only weakened him further and that battle took a lot out of him." She shook her head in amazement, "I'm still surprised he actually managed to defeat Itachi…those were odds even _I_ wouldn't have bet on."

"…Probably why he's still alive," the frog hermit muttered, rolling his eyes. Tsunade shot him an ugly glare before continuing.

"Regardless, I think he'll pull through. If there is one think I've learned about Kakashi, it's that he's tough…and damn near impossible to kill."

"And Sasuke?"

A dark cloud passed Tsunade's eyes, her arms rising to cross over her chest. "My staff is doing everything in their power, but…"

* * *

"Naruto, you are supposed to be in bed!" Sakura crossed her arms sternly, foot tapping impatiently as she entered the small, white hospital room. Honestly, her friend could be _so_ stubborn when it came to letting his body recover, and as she stood there in exasperation, the kunoichi debated on which lecture to deliver _this_ time. 

"I _am_ in bed," the blond pointed out, unable to help the small grin pulling at his lips.

'_Lecture 53,_' Sakura decided as she took a threatening step into the room. "You are supposed to be in your _own_ bed!"

"She's got you there, dobe."

Naruto shot the raven sitting beside him a menacing look, making sure that his elbow jabbed the Uchiha's stomach at an uninjured point. "Traitor! You are _supposed_ to be on _my_ side," the blonde pouted.

The raven rolled his eyes at the other boy's dramatics. "_Traitor_? I though we'd already been over this…how many times do I have to get stabbed before you stop doubting my loyalties?"

"Hmpf," Naruto snorted, but there was a flicker of guilt in his expression as he slouched against Sasuke's shoulder, enjoying the warmth of the other boy next to him.

* * *

A dark cloud passed Tsunade's eyes, her arms rising to cross over her chest. "My staff is doing everything in their power, but…he is _impossible_!"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow questioningly at this unexpected description. "Huh?"

"_Impossible_," Tsunade repeated, throwing her arms up in the air as if to beseech the heavens for strength. "It's hard enough to handle _one_ of them when they're restricted to bed rest, but _both_ of them? It's like they…they _feed_ off each other!"

Jiraiya managed to keep an incredulous look on his face for all of twenty seconds before dissolving into chuckles. The man knew first hand what a handful a sick or injured Naruto could be (the twerp was just too damn stubborn for his own good), and he had heard stories that the Uchiha's hospital manners could sometimes even surpass the blonde's.

One thing was for sure: he would _never_ begrudge Tsunade her job…

* * *

Tired of being ignored, Sakura cleared her throat loudly, bringing both boys out of their own little world and shaking her head in frustration. "You two are hopeless," she decided, before walking to the bed and grabbing Naruto's arm firmly in one swift movement. "_You_ are going back to bed."

"Aw Sakura-chan, I like it better here."

"Too bad."

"Can't we just put my bed in _this_ room?"

The rosette just kept shaking her head as she dragged the blonde to his feet and shoved him towards the door. "We already tried that, remember? I think you scarred Shikamaru for life."

"Hn," came a snort of amusement, "You'd think a 'genius' would have remembered to knock before entering…" Sasuke mused from his bed, already feeling lonely sitting in it by himself.

Naruto snickered from the doorway, but was unable to completely hide the faint blush creeping over his cheeks at the memory of this morning's disaster. "It was Sasuke's fault," he muttered at Sakura's disapproving look.

"Well you're about to have another visitor, and unless you want Iruka-sensei to see you being _molested_ by Sasuke, you'd better get back into bed." Sakura raised an eyebrow challengingly, and was pleased to see Naruto's expression blanch before turning bright red. As a strangled sound escaped the boy's throat, he suddenly disappeared in a flash of yellow that would have made the _Fourth_ proud.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura turned back to look at the raven sitting innocently in his bed, a small smirk pulling at his lips. It looked like it was time for Lecture 36…

* * *

Naruto knelt low in the underbrush, watching the raven before him warily. So far, it seemed that Sasuke was not aware of his position, but the blonde knew from experience that this could change at any moment. 

'_I think its time to trigger the tag,'_ Kyuubi rumbled quietly, the fox's excitement at the prospect of a challenging battle clearly apparent in his voice. His host nodded in agreement, fingers moving to form the seal…

"Don't even think about it, dobe." The voice, accompanied by kunai suddenly landing where Naruto's head had had been five seconds earlier, almost made the blonde jump. Instead, he settled for grinding his teeth in frustration as he swiftly rolled to the left and took to the trees.

'_Damnit!_' He mentally swore to Kyuubi, watching as the raven's sharingan seemed to effortlessly follow his silent movements now that his position had been given away. '_How the __**hell**__ did he find me!_'

'_You know, sometimes I wonder if that old hag really __**did**__ remove the jutsu like she said she did._'

'_Well if it was still there, __**I**__ would have noticed him sneaking up on us, now wouldn't I have?_'

The demon seemed to give this point some thought before heaving what Naruto took to be a mental shrug. '_Well, since the element of surprise is no longer an option, I suggest we revert back to the usual tactic._'

This time, his host's grin was a devious one. '_Use endurance and sheer power to beat the shit out of him?_'

'_**Exactly.**_'

Naruto snorted, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the old fox. For a creature supposedly known for its stealth and cunning, Kyuubi always seemed rather fond of head on attacks, and was usually one of the reasons Naruto always ended up barging into situations without thinking them through.

His smile widened, canines glinting slightly as he swerved back to directly face the Uchiha. "Kyuubi," he said out loud, voice laced with repressed laughter, "you are a bad influence."

Sasuke was upon him in seconds, and as they both reached for their weapon pouches, the air of the small forest glade was filled with the metallic clangs and glints of dancing blades. Several minutes later, both boys stood facing each other carefully, Sasuke's chest heaving, Naruto's lips pulling upwards into a smug smile.

"Worn out already, teme?" he taunted, raising an eyebrow teasingly, "I could keep this up all day."

"_You_ didn't have a chidori puncture your lung two weeks ago!" Sasuke snapped crossly, clearly displeased with his current shortness of breath. "Not all of us have built-in healing _parasites_."

"Aw, you're just jealous," Naruto jeered, ignoring Kyuubi's indignant shout of protest that boomed through his head. However, as he watched the other boy carefully, his eyes took on a darker shade of blue that radiated concern. "Seriously though, do you need a break? Sakura warned you not to overdo-_Ooof!_"

He was cut off mid-sentence by a blurred force slamming into his chest, sending him crashing to the ground. Glaring up at his attacker, Naruto took in the sight of the divine being now straddling his waist, victory shining in his obsidian eyes.

"Hn," Sasuke grinned superiorly, satisfaction rising in his gut despite his ragged breath and sweat-soaked face. "Luckily, I could take down a baka like you regardless of physical handicaps."

"Cheap shot," the blonde grumbled under his breath, twisting in an effort to escape from below the raven. His movements were futile, but as he looked back up into that smug, handsome face, Naruto decided that he really didn't mind the predicament he was in _too_ much…

…Not that he was going to let Sasuke know that. Bucking his hips upwards in yet another failed attempt to free himself, the blonde only glared harder. "Let me up, bastard."

The triumphant smile on Sasuke's face was still solidly in place, but had taken on an evil, almost _feral_ glint. "And why," he murmured lowly, leaning down towards Naruto's ear, "would I want to do that?"

The blonde couldn't help it; he closed his eyes as a shiver ran down his spine. He opened his mouth to speak, but had to swallow before the words would come out. "B-because I haven't lost yet." He bit his lip as the raven smirked and nibbled at the tip of his left ear.

"Oh, I really think you have," Sasuke argued calmly, before his mouth trailed down Naruto's neck to suck happily on his pulse. The blonde moaned appreciatively, his arms finally ceasing to fight Sasuke's vice-like grip.

"You're playing dirty," he whined into the Uchiha's hair, pouting as a light blush spread across his cheeks.

"That is _precisely_ the idea," Sasuke agreed with a growl, his hand following the path that had become familiar over the past two weeks. Finally, fingers found their way beneath the other boy's shirt, lightly tracing the spiral seal they now almost knew by heart. Feeling the fire in his lower belly increase sharply, the raven paused his ministrations to Naruto's neck and smirked down at his breathless captive.

"Stop," Naruto groaned, arms coming up to push at Sasuke's chest weakly. "I _can't_."

"Last night's events beg to differ."

The blush deepened, but blue eyes glared up in defiance. "Sasuke, I _promised_ I'd meet Sakura and Kakashi at Ichiraku's in a half an hour!"

Obsidian eyes considered him for a moment, the dangerous glint never faltering for a second. Adjusting his grip on Naruto's arms, the raven's smirk grew ominously, his head leaning down until his lips just brushed the blonde's.

"Hn…looks like you're going to be late."

-_finis_-

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_Well...it's over. I've got to say, even though I'm relieved that _It's All in Your Head_ is finally finished, I'm still a little sad to see it go. Thank you to all of the wonderful readers who patiently stuck wtih me through all the chapters, and to everyone who took the time to review. I know it sounds kind of trite, but writing this story really was an adventure for me, and I enjoyed sharing it with all of you. _

_Please let me know what you thought of the conclusion as well as the story as a whole. As always, all comments are welcome (be they good or bad). Also, I've received a few questions about fanart...if my story has inspired you to draw a picture (an art form I'm hopeless at), just send me a link and I'll post it on my profile page. It would probably make my day!_

_If you have any suggestions for future stories, I'd love to hear them...I'm already working on a few new projects, and I'm always looking for another good one. Thank you all again, and please keep an eye on my profile page for new stories!_


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